ANARCHY IN MANIPUR AS PROTESTS BECOME STRIDENT

August 3, 2004 - (IANS) Total anarchy has been prevailing for the past three weeks in India's restive northeastern state of Manipur, with protestors continuing to clash with security forces over the custodial killing of a woman and demands for withdrawing laws that empower troops to act with impunity.

"The situation is still tense with protestors staging demonstrations almost daily," Manipur's Additional Director General of Police C. Peter told IANS.

The violence began after the killing of 32-year-old woman, Thangjam Manorama, allegedly by paramilitary Assam Rifles troopers July 11 in this state capital.

Manorama was said to have been picked up by troopers from her home here on charges of links with separatist rebels. Hours later, her body was found four km from her home with multiple bullet wounds.

That triggered a string of violent protests, with women storming the Assam Rifles headquarters here and some of them completely stripping in full public view to vent their ire against the soldiers.

The disrobed women were holding placards that read: "Indian Army rape us" and "Indian Army take our flesh."
The protests became more strident, forcing the Assam Rifles to hold an internal inquiry. The state government too ordered a judicial probe into the incident but the two reports are yet to be made public.

The days that followed the death of Manorama saw scores of government buildings torched, hundreds of protestors injured in police action and curfew continuing since July 14, although the prohibitory orders are now relaxed during the daytime.

The protestors, besides seeking justice and punishment meted out to the alleged killers of Manorama, were demanding the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act enforced in the state be withdrawn.

Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, bowing under pressure, said a decision whether or not to lift the act would be announced by August 15.

"The situation is fragile and the pressure continues to build so that the government is forced to respect the public sentiment," Pradip Phanjoubam, editor of Imphal Free Press, a leading daily, said.

Manipur has witnessed an increase in excesses by armed forces on civilians and human rights violations in the name of curbing insurgency.

"The number of cases of rights violations, torture and rape by security forces has increased manifold. The special powers act gives the security forces unlimited powers and impunity against rights violations reports," T. Singh, a rights campaigner, said.

"Our reports say there were at least 50 cases of third degree tortures on innocent civilians accused of aiding militancy in the past one year. At least a dozen custodial deaths were reported in the same period, while number of cases has simply gone unreported," Singh added.

Manorama's death is just one incident of rights violation in the state.

In October last year, a 15-year-old girl, Sanjita Devi, committed suicide after being allegedly molested by army soldiers in Manipur. The army instituted a court of inquiry, but the findings were never made public.

"Such enquiries are nothing but a farce," woman leader Sarojini Devi said.

There are more than 19 separatist groups active in Manipur, bordering Myanmar, with demands ranging from secession to greater autonomy and the right to self-determination.

More than 10,000 people have lost their lives to insurgency in Manipur during the past two decades.

Even the state government admits there were excesses committed by armed forces on the civilians. The chief minister, in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, asked the central government to "restrain and do the needful to check the conduct of the security personnel" deployed in the state.

But for the moment, Manipur is in turmoil and there are no signs of the protests receding.

From: http://news.newkerala.com/india-news/index.php?action=fullnews&id=5720