Imphal, October 13: A seven member team of the Indian Association of People’s Lawyers which arrived here on October 10 have documented the circumstances leading to the death of Th Manorama and plans to publish their findings in a booklet and broadcast it across the world.
Speaking to the media at the Manipur Press Club today, the fact finding team said that they visited the house of Manorama and studied the site where the dead body of the woman was found. The team has also met various sections of the society and Chairman of the Manipur Human Rights Commission as well.
The lawyers made it clear that theirs is an independent probe not related to any Govt sponsored inquiry commission and added that their findings will be published and broadcast throughout the world. As they are affiliated to the International Association of People’s Lawyers, disseminating the information will be that much more easier, they added. Besides this they would submit memoranda to the Centre to revoke the Armed Forces Special Powers Act from the State and added that under the immunity granted by this draconian Act, no security personnel has ever been punished for their acts of commission and omission.
The Government should also take immediate steps to identify and punish the personnel responsible for killing Manorama in custody, demanded the lawyers and added that merely registering a police FIR on the matter will not do.
On the fast unto death agitation launched by Irom Sharmila demanding the revocation of AFSPA, the lawyers said her demand is legitimate and so is her form of protest and said the woman should be released without further ado. They also appealed to the people of the country to fight for repealing the Act.
The lawyers’ team included Advocates Surendra Gadling (Nagpur), Balbir Singh (Haryana), Dr H Mishra (Maharastra), S Manoharan (Madurai) G Sugumaran (Pondicherry), Ilam Parithy (Chennai) and KD Rao (Mumbai).
The Sangai Express, Imphal, Manipur / 14.10. 2004.
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