INDIA: Army officer in Manipur threatened, intimidated and allegedly tortured student union activists who were on their way to meet the Chief Minister of the state for a peace talk as per the Minister’s invitation 

Dear friends

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed of yet another incident of intimidation and inhuman treatment by the Indian Army officers from Manipur, a state in the north-east of India. On 15 July 2006, a vehicle in which the representatives of the student movement in Manipur were traveling, while on their way to meet the Chief Minister of the state, was intercepted by army officers. The passengers were taken into custody and interrogated by the officers, despite informing the officers that they were on their way to meet the Chief Minister of the state at his request. During the interrogation, it is alleged that the officers used foul language and physically assaulted the detainees. The victims were later set free and were allowed to continue with their journey.

Jiribam is a sub-division of Imphal East District in Manipur state located 222 km from the capital Imphal bordering the state of Assam.  The District Committee of the All Manipur Students’ Union (AMSU) based in Jiribam, the local council of the Democratic Students’ Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) based in Jiribam, the Jiri College Students’ Union and the Jiribam Higher Secondary Students’ Union had jointly submitted a memorandum pressing for various popular demands including the conversion of Jiri College into a full fledged Government college, the upgrading of Jiribam sub-division into a full fledged revenue district and to appoint the required teachers in educational institutions.

The AMSU Jiribam District Committee submitted an ultimatum to the Chief Minister of Manipur on 3 June 2006. But the government of Manipur failed to pay attention to the demands of the students and there has been an indefinite economic blockade at Jiribam from 21 June 2006 to date. On 11 July 2006, the Chief Minister of Manipur sent a message through the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Jiribam that he would like to meet the president of AMSU and DESAM Jiribam to discuss the present situation arising out of the on-going strike by the student organisations of Jiribam.

On receiving the invitation, on 15 July 2006 six student leaders led by the President of AMSU Jiribam District Committee took a white Tata Sumo [van] and traveled towards Imphal, along the National Highway number 53, to meet the Chief Minister. On their way at about 10.30am their vehicle was stopped by Major Mr. Abhishek of the Indian Army at the Numgba Army check post who took the students to his camp. The Major asked for the identities of the student leaders and the purpose of their journey. The students identified themselves and explained the purpose of the journey by showing the invitation letter they had received from the office of the Chief Minister. They also showed the officer the forwarding letter for the invitation from the office of the ADC, Jiribam. The army officer took photocopies of the documents and let them off.

However, before the students reached their vehicle, the Major called them back to his office and resumed the interrogation. The session lasted two hours. The officers took photographs of the students and abused them using foul language. The students also allege that they were punched in the chest and were threatened and intimidated. The officer also accused the students of being members of prohibited underground organisations. At about 12.30pm the students were finally released.

Further developments:

On 16 July 2006, Jiri Ima Meira Paibi Apunba Lup (JIMPAL), a women’s organisation of Jiribam and other civil society groups condemned publicly the action of the Indian Army. A general strike was called by the student bodies, supported by other civil society groups from 6.00pm on 16 July to 6.00pm on 17 July 2006 at Jiribam. The leaders of AMSU and DESAM, Jiribam decided that they will not hold talks with the Manipur Chief Minister until appropriate action is taken against the Army officers.

However, a statement issued by the Press Information Bureu (PIB) of the Defense Wing on 17 July 2006 has denied any harassment of the student leaders by the army. Instead the army claimed to have treated the students well and claimed that the officers even offered refreshments to the students.

On 17 July 2006 the Chief Minster of Manipur by a public statement assured that action will be taken against the officers if the allegations by the students are found to be true. As of today no action has been initiated against the officers.

Other 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 Power Act 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 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 from 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’ 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 which reflects the use of armed forces for similar purpose.

In this case even when the students were able to produce documents showing their purpose of travel, they were intimidated and threatened by the army officer, who presumably enjoyed impunity under law and also arguably had an assurance of no further action from none other then the Chief Minister’s office. This argument is augmented by the mere fact that even after a public statement was made by the Chief Minister of the state and a public outcry occurred regarding the incident the acts of the army officer who interrogated and allegedly inhumanly treated the students are still yet to be investigated. Additionally the Army Act of India, coupled with the powers conferred upon these officers stationed in the region by virtue of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act prevents any inquiry with civilian oversight into the alleged acts of human rights violations of the armed forces. It is in this context that the incident, though trivial as it appears for an outsider assumes gravity by the mere fact that it happened in Manipur.

SUGGESTED ACTION:

Please write to the relevant authorities listed below voicing your condemnation of the treatment of these students and the apparent impunity armed officers enjoy in the north-east of India.

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