2 member delegations from the state has highlighted the military response of the government of India to the armed conflict situation of the state during the just concluded 14th Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) held at the UN Headquarters in New York
A statement of Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur, signed by its convenor Dr. Laifungbam Debabrata Roy said that the session began from April 20 and concluded on May 1 this year.
The statement said that Jiten Yumnam and Ms. Pushpa Koijam of the Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur, who attended that session, deliberated the persistence of armed conflict situation in Manipur and the military response of the Government of India to the political demands of indigenous peoples of Manipur, which has led to promulgation of emergency legislations like theArmed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 (AFSPA) and extensive militarization in Manipur.
Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur is a constituent member organization of CSCHR attended the 14Session of the UNPFII,
The statement added that both the delegates highlighted the extensive abuse of the AFSPA, 1958 and how indigenous peoples of Manipur are subjected to human rights violations with impunity. The application of AFSPA in Manipur has violated the “Right to life” and “Right to Justice Remedy”, as outlined in article 4 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
Pushpa highlighted the persisting impacts of militarization on women and children in Manipur, such as the infamous case of the rape and murder of Miss Thangjam Manorama by personnel of 17Assam Rifles on 11 July 2004 and subsequent failure to punish those involved in the inhumane violation.
The discovery of Eight (8) human skulls and skeletal remains on 25 December 2014 along with other human artifacts from Tombisana High School in Imphal Town and the continued failure of the Government of India to investigate the discovery of mass graves in Manipur were also addressed.
Jiten Yumnam highlighted how Militarization is also associated with introduction of unsustainable development projects, as evident by the militarization of Mapithel Dam site, Loktak Project site. The impact on communities and submergence of agriculture land duet o commencement of the blocking of Thoubal River and filing up of the Mapithel dam reservoir from January 2015 was also raised.
