Newmai News Network
Imphal | November 8
The Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR-South Sector) has expressed deep concern over the prevailing situation in Manipur ‘where democratic rights of the people are being curtailed’ by the state and held it a disturbing trend in the region. The NPMHR -South Sector also expressed concern over the ‘high handedness’ on the people meted out by the state forces and asserted that it was increasingly becoming the order of the day.
Phamhring Sengul, convenor NPMHR (South) on Saturday while expressing concern over many innocent persons been victimized, pointed out that there was a sense of insecurity and anxiety everywhere in the region.
Condemning the alleged excesses committed by the Indian Reserved Battalion (IRB) and Manipur State police commandos on the poor villagers who marched to the Mapithel dam site to express their concern and plight, wherein about 45 were reportedly injured, the NPMHR stated that everyone in a democratic society has the right to freely voice their concerns. NPMHR also pointed out that the affected people have the right to express their view in the matter of Mapithel dam as it is an issue of survival for them added Phamhring in the press statement. The convenor of the human rights movement also pointed out that with the construction of the dam, the land of the people in the upstream would be submerged making them ‘migrants’ in their own land while the people downstream will live in permanent fear as the threat and danger from the dam is real and extremely vulnerable.
With the interest and concern of the affected people been neglected, the affected people have organised themselves and rightly asserted for justice added Phamhring. Pointing out some of the demands of the affected people, the NPMHR informed that the affected people of the area had demanded a review of the terms of reference which is discriminatory and moreover the government could only partially meet the term and condition of the earlier agreement arrived at with the upstream affected people. The affected people also demanded a contingency plan for the downstream affected people in the event of any untoward accident.
In this regards, NPMHR has appealed to all the people who believe in peaceful and democratic struggle to intervene and support the cause of the affected people. Stating that the affected people of the Mapithel dam should not suffer gross injustice of this magnitude, the human rights movement further appealed to the people of the state to help and guide each others in such situation.
Expressing deep and heartfelt sympathy to those who were reportedly brutalized and abused during the November 3, 2008 rally, the NPMHR has appealed to all to lend their support to save AS Lungmila, a mother of seven children, who is in critical condition from head injury sustained in the assault by the so called security forces. “We are sad to inform you that she has very less chance to survive”, lamented Phamhring in the press statement.
Meanwhile, demanding a judicial enquiry into the November 3 incident wherein at least 43 were injured when the security forces felt upon the womenfolk that were rallying towards the Mapithel dam site against it construction, a sit-in-protest was held at the Dingko road in Chingmeirong, Imphal East on November 8.
The sit-in-protest was organised under the aegis of Mapithel Dam Affected Villages Organisation (MDAVO), Mapithel Dam Affected Ching-Tam Organisation (MDACTO) and Thoubal Multipurpose Project (Mapithel Dam) Downstream Affected Area Committee and was supported human rights, students and civil organisations such as Human Rights Initiative (HRI), United People’s Front (UPF), All Manipur United Club Organisation (AMUCO), All Manipur Tribal Students’ Union, Manipur (ATSUM), etc.
The committee has demanded punishment for the security forces involved and also compensation for Lumilla Devi, who is lying in Shija hospital in critical condition. The protest further demanded that no construction should be undertaken against the interest of the public until and unless the dam site was reviewed and called upon the government to stop militarization at the dam site.
Aron Panmei, a participant of the protest stated that women, instead of being respected and protected, were attacked by the security forces. Condemning the use of force by the security forces, Panmei said that the construction of the dam should continue only after an agreement with the people and further warned the government of any use of force to construct the dam. She also condemned the Lamlai police station in Imphal East for refusing to register a First Information Registration (FIR) of the incident on November 3 when the affected had come to register on Friday, November 7.
A secretary of the downstream affected area committee also warned the government of more severe form of agitation if the government failed to meet the demands of the affected people.
