The 21st death anniversary of Thangjam Manorama was solemnly observed today at Bamon Kampu Community Hall, jointly organised by the Thangjam Manorama Memorial Charitable Trust and Apunba Lup, Manipur. The event served as a powerful reminder of the unresolved injustice surrounding her brutal death, allegedly at the hands of personnel of the 17th Assam Rifles in 2004 under the shadow of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958.
Participants paid floral tributes to Manorama, whose killing sparked one of the most iconic protests in Manipur’s history, including the nude protest by Meira Paibis before the Kangla Fort, demanding the repeal of AFSPA.
Addressing the gathering, Phulindro Konsam, Coordinator of Apunba Lup, Manipur, condemned the continued enforcement of AFSPA in the state, stating that the Act has enabled repeated human rights violations and shielded perpetrators from accountability. He criticised elected representatives for their silence and inaction, saying that the people’s suffering under AFSPA remains unaddressed.
Recounting historical context, Konsam pointed out that the AFSPA is a colonial legacy dating back to the British-imposed Armed Forces Special Powers Ordinance, 1942. He stressed that while India has progressed politically, the continued application of such draconian laws reflects the persistence of militarised governance in the Northeast.
The event saw the participation of civil society leaders including Joy Chingakham, Rupachandra Nongthombam, Joy Konthoujam, and Thiyam Nilbir, President of the Thangjam Manorama Memorial Charitable Trust. The speakers collectively reiterated the long-standing demand for the complete repeal of AFSPA from Manipur and the Northeast.
With the photograph of Thangjam Manorama garlanded at the venue, the ceremony ended with a renewed pledge to continue the struggle for justice and to uphold the memory of Manorama as a symbol of resistance against state oppression.