Home » Anti-Repression Day commemorated to mark 16th Anniversary historic protest by Imas in front of Kangla Gate

Anti-Repression Day commemorated to mark 16th Anniversary historic protest by Imas in front of Kangla Gate

by Sh Ajit
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“Spirit of defiance will be the greatest gift the ‘Imas’ could give to the younger generation” – Babloo Loitongbam

IT News

Imphal, July 15:

The annual Anti-Repression day organised by Observation committee, Anti-Repression day to mark the protest of July, 2004 whereby 12 elderly unclothed women folks in a swift and unsuspecting manner had unleashed one of the most epoch making demonstration of public anger against military atrocities in the state by protesting nude in front of Kangla Gate was held at the conference hall of Human Rights Alert (MHRA), Keishampat Thiyam Leikai, Imphal, today. It may be mentioned that the naked protest of 2004 was a gritty response following custodial rape and murder of Thangjam Manorama by armed forces suspected to belong to 17th Assam Rifles on the night of July 10, 2004.

The programme which started at 9 AM was attended by 10 surviving protestors of that day, their family members, with Khangembam Anandi, Advisor AMKIL, Babloo Lotongbam, Executive Director, HRA and Sunil Karam, President UCM as guest speakers. Floral tributes were paid and 2 minute silence was observed as a mark of respect to the departed souls of two protestors who have expired ever since that fateful protest. Khangembam Anandi in her keynote address recounted the various atrocities meted out against the women in the state in the garb of counter insurgency operation by armed forces since long. The liberation of historical site, Kangla from control of Assam Rifles that same year has to be attributed to the protest of 2004, she said.

Babloo Loitongbam, Executive Director HRA, in his speech termed the protest of 2004 as one of the many milestones of women in the state and will be forever written in golden letters of Manipur history. He lauded the efforts of the ‘Imas’ and said the biggest legacy they can leave behind is to inculcate the spirit of defiance to younger generations.

Sunil Karam, President UCM in a scathing remark has termed the reduction in fake encounters and other atrocities not because of improvement in public administration but prolonged struggle of the public spearheaded by the women of the state. He credited the reduction in fake encounters, removal of AFSPA from certain assembly segments, marking of police vehicle with their area of jurisdiction etc as result of the unrelenting spirit of Manipuri women.

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