Imphal, March 21, 2006: Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh has decided to visit Thanlon and Parbung in Churachandpur district on March 28. He will meet residents of the area from where tribal villagers fled to Mizoram recently following depredations by armed outfits.
Ibobi Singh’s planned visit comes in the wake of an uproar in the district after militants allegedly raped 21 women at Parbung and nearby Lungthulien village in January.
Ibobi Singh has already instituted a judicial inquiry into the controversial series of incidents, in which armed miscreants allegedly raped and brutalised villagers. An official source said Ibobi Singh plans to meet villagers, listen to their complaints and inspect government offices in the two areas. He is also scheduled to address two public meetings in these areas.
Ibobi will be accompanied by a host of ministers, MLAs from the district and top-ranking officials.
The general-officer-commanding (GOC) of the 57th Mountain Division, Maj. Gen. G.G. Dwivedi, is also scheduled to accompany the chief minister. District-level officials have been instructed to remain stationed at these areas.
Ibobi Singh will visit the areas by helicopter since the roads were in a very poor condition. It is a 24-hour drive from Imphal.
Parbung and Thanlon have been militant strongholds for nearly a decade. The army set up camps there after flushing out rebel bases earlier this year. A police station, located at Parbung, was also revived.
The village authority lodged a complaint at the local police station, in which the names of nine alleged rape victims were listed.
The chief ministerial visit is aimed at imparting a healing touch to the villagers, who complained that they were being terrorised by militants. Governor S.S. Sidhu also toured the areas on March 10.
In a related development, Justice S.P. Rajkhowa, a retired judge of the Calcutta High Court, initiated proceedings in connection with the judicial inquiry into the alleged mass rape of Hmar women and girls by militants in the Tipaimukh region of Churachandpur district earlier this year.
The commission today issued notifications inviting statements in connection with the alleged rape and in connection with the probe into the alleged custodial molestation of Naobi Devi of Thoubal district by police commandos.
source: Telegraph