INDIA: Paramilitary unleashes brutality in Manipur injuring several innocent persons

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from human rights organisations in Manipur, India regarding the attack by an underground group against the government forces and a retaliatory strike by the government forces on September 30, 2007. It is reported that in the attack organised by the People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) – an armed opposition group fighting against the government – an officer attached with the 21 Assam Rifles was killed and another officer was seriously injured. In a retaliatory move, the 21 Assam Rifles launched a search in the villages where several persons, including men and women were assaulted by the paramilitary unit. The case was reported to the AHRC by Human Rights Alert (HRA), Threatened Indigenous People’s Society (TIPS) and Centre for Organisation, Research and Education (CORE).

CASE DETAILS:

It is reported that on September 30, 2007 at about 10.30 pm there was an encounter between the PREPAK and the 21 Assam Rifles stationed in Manipur. It is reported that the carders attached to the PREPAK ambushed the 21 Assam Rifles personnel in Umathel village in Thoubal district of Manipur. In the encounter that lasted for about 30 minutes Mr. Motoba, an officer attached to the 21 Assam Rifles was shot dead and Mr. Govind Singh, yet another officer of the same group of officers was seriously injured.

The ambushed officers soon called in for backup, which arrived on the spot without much delay. The officers then started a house-to-house combing operation in three villages. It is reported that the search was conducted in Umathel Mathak Leikai, Makha Leikai and Kalikalok Maring villages. The officers, who forced into the houses, often breaking open the door, dragged the inmates outside. The male members were brought to the premises of the Kakching Khunou College, which is near the place of incident. They were then forced to lie down on the ground, face down and stripped naked. They were then beaten up by the officers attached to the Assam Rifles.

The men were assaulted with sticks, batons and rifle buts. The officers did not spare the women. The officers shouted at the villagers in local dialect using filth and also spat into the villagers’ mouth as they were been beaten. They were not asked any questions while being beaten up. The villagers were later released when the local media arrived at the scene. Since many of them were not in a position even to walk, they had to be carried away on bicycles and in small vehicles. Several of them were admitted in local hospitals.

While the exact number of villagers and their identities are being traced out, it is estimated that about some 80 persons, male and female were assaulted by the officers of which about 50 persons got admitted at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital, Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital and Raj Polyclinic in Manipur. The injuries ranged from serious to minor injuries like those from slapping. Some of the villagers were admitted in the hospital for treatment while several of them were sent off without admission. The following are the names and details of those persons gathered from the hospital records:

1. Ksh. Meba Maring (25, male), son of Ksh. Mopham of Kalikalok
2. Khumanthem Suben (44, male), son of late Khumanthem, Ibohal of Umathel
3. Mayanglambam Roja (27, male), son of Mayanglambam Sangoijao of Umathel Mathak Leikai
4. Mayanglambam Indrajit (37, male), son of Mayanglambam Sangoijao of Umathel Mathak Leikai
5. Thingnam Amuthoi (37, male), son of Thingnam Yaima of Umathel Mathak Leikai
6. Thingnam Seityajit (32, male), son of Thingnam Pabungton of Umathel Mayai Leikai
7. Mayanglambam Kunjo (25, male), son of late Mayanglambam Achoubi of Umathel
8. Thingnam Kumar (38, male), son of late Thingnam Gulamjat of Umathel
9. Khumukcham Lukhoi (30, male), son of late Khumukcham Thambou of Umathel Sorok Mathak
10. Thingnam Binodkumar (25, male), son of late Khumukcham Thambou of Umathel Sorok Mathak
11. Mayanglambam Thomba (26, male), son of late Mayanglambam Chaoba of Umathel
12. Mayanglambam Ajit (25, male), son of late Mayanglambam Sangoijao of Umathel Mathak Leikai
13. Khumukcham Gojen (32, male), son of late Khumukcham Thoiba of Kakching Khunou Chekshapat
14. Thingnam Ibotombi (30, male), son of late Thingnam Gulamjat of Umathel
15. Thingnam Amujao (44, male), son of late Thingnam Gulamjat of Umathel
16. Master Thingnam Sanathoi (14, male child), son of Thingnam Ibotombi of Umathel
17. Khumukcham Joy (22, male), son of Khumukcham Manglemjao of Umathel
18. Thingnam Rajendro (50, male), son of late Thingnam Ador of Umathel
19. Mayanglambam Ibothem (46, male), son of Mayanglambam Sangoijao of Umathel Mathak Leikai
20. Thingnam Bijoy (42, male), son of late Thingnam Ador of Umathel
21. Khumukcham Rockey (26, male), son of late Khumukcham Sanatomba of Umathel
22. Khumukcham Nimai (45, male), husband of Radhamani of Umathel
23. Ksh. Yaima Maring (35, male), son of Mophom of Kalikalok
24. Thingnam Sadananda (26, male) of Umathel
25. Khumukcham Angreng (26, male), son of Kuliborok of Kalikalok
26. P. Koreng (28, male), son of Kuliborok of Kalikalok
27. Elangbam Keneddy (18, male), son of E. Shinhajit of Umathel Makha Leikai
28. Khumukcham Amujaobi Devi (25, female), daughter of late Khumukcham Ibohal of Umathel
29. Salam Shanti Singh (33, male), son of Salam Bira of Kakching Khunou, Thongam Mondum
30. Khumukcham Bijoy (42, male), son of Khumucham Nitai of Kakching Khunou, Awang Keithel Leikai
31. Khumucham Amujao (28, male), son of late Khumukcham Shyamkeshore of Kakching Khunou, Awang Keithel Leikai
32. Mayanglambam Premjit (20, male) of Kakching Khunou, Lamhaba Leikai
33. Sarangthem Debananda (41, male) of Kakaching Thongam Mondum Leikai
34. Mayanglambam Jiban (20, male) of Kakching Khunou Ngaikhong Leikai
35. Ms. Kh. Khambi (30, female) of Kalikalok
36. Ms. Th. Aninga (35, female) of Kalikalok
37. Ms. Ksh. Sangkhu (28, female) of Kalikalok
38. Ms. Kh. Sangkhu (55, female) of Kalikalok
39. Thingnam Angung Maring (37, female) of Kalikalok

While the villagers were still recovering from the September 30 incident, the officers from the 21 Assam Rifles arrived at the villages again on October 3 and threatened the villagers that the remaining persons will also be beaten up soon in similar fashion.

The AHRC has been raising concerns about the increasing conflict in Manipur since the past several years. The AHRC has been trying to bring this issue to the attention of the government. Several other local and national organisations are also engaged in similar process. However, thus far the response of the government is cold and disheartening. For further information regarding Manipur and the ongoing conflict there please also see: MILITARISATION & IMPUNITY IN MANIPUR, AS-204-2007, AHRC-OL-055-2006, UA-223-2007, UA-130-2006, UA-052-2007, UA-043-2007 and UA-250-2006.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Manipur is one of the seven states in the north-east of India where rule of law has deteriorated to such an extent that the armed forces stationed in the state enjoy complete impunity. Statutory impunity is provided to the armed forces by virtue of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 which allows anyone to be taken into custody in the name of suspicion. The Act provides such wide powers that even an ordinary soldier stationed in the state can shoot to kill without his or her action being questioned in any court or tribunal.

In addition, various regions in the state and also in various other states in the north-east of India are declared as disturbed areas, where the army and paramilitary are deployed for maintaining law and order. Though their mandate is to provide protection to the local police for maintaining law and order, often the boundaries are crossed in the rules of engagement where literally even the police are under threat from the armed forces.

In the recent past Manipur was in the news after gross human rights abuses including kidnapping, rape and murder were reported from the state. In one incident when a woman was taken into custody by the armed forces, raped and later shot dead, the women in Manipur protested by parading naked in front of the local army headquarters. Though similar incidents attracted media attention, day-to-day life within Manipur, which is always under the shadow of armed officers roaming in the streets kidnapping, torturing, raping and murdering ordinary civilians, is often left unreported. Rape in custody is at such high levels that to prevent the spread of HIV infection within the armed forces the army headquarters have even issued circulars insisting the officers to carry condoms as their standard supply when on regular patrol duty.

Owing to political, geographical and other reasons of national security, the north-east of India is always a disturbed region in India. Due to this and also due to the difference of opinion of several communities within the north-eastern states from being considered as a part of India, the region is neglected by the Indian government. Issues ranging from ethnic identity to exploitation of natural resources often prevent any peaceful settlement to the issue. Manipur in the recent past has faced several severe crisis situations where hundreds of lives were lost.

Many have disappeared and several tortured to death. Even free reporting of news is under the screening of the armed forces so that none of the incidents of human rights abuses gets reported even in the Indian media. The practical restrictions imposed for free travel within the state and the region for the residents of the state and the statutory restrictions imposed upon other domestic and foreign media provides a complete media blackout in the region. Even the Indian Supreme Court gave up on the people in the region by refusing to intervene when the draconian law ‘The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958’ was challenged in the court.

The civil administration also uses the armed forces for threatening and intimidating anyone who entertains a difference of opinion. While the situation within Manipur is already bad, such use of force and authority only serves as counter productive towards any peace process in the state. The incident reported above is one such case.

MOST RECENT DEVEOPMENTS REGARDING THE CASE:

The local organisations that reported the case to the AHRC has also approached the Gauhati High Court seeking an intervention in this case. In the meanwhile, today, a few hundred strong peaceful protest rally was organised by a regional political party condemning the incident in Imphal. However, the local police forcefully dispersed the rally.

The case filed before the High Court was admitted by the court but stands adjourned to Monday, October 8, 2007, as the request by the petitioners for an early hearing was rejected by the court since there was no sitting of the Division Bench of the High Court at Imphal before that date. The state that was given full statehood in 1972, but still does not have a separate high court of its own as for the other states.

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write to the authorities mentioned below expressing your concern about the incident and calling for an urgent intervention in the case. The AHRC is writing a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Question of Torture calling for an intervention in this case.

To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER