Imphal, March 23, 2006: The underground United National Liberation Front, UNLF, welcoming the initiative of some civil society organisations to constitute a fact-finding team in connection with the rape allegations raised against UNLF and KCP cadres, has pledged to extend its full cooperation to the team.
The underground group, in a statement, noted that several inconsistent versions of rape stories and fluctuating numbers of rape victims have been reported in the local and outside media, and said that under the circumstances, it is of prime importance to establish whether the rape was actually committed or not.
Mere parading of the ‘rape victims’ cannot be taken as sufficient proof of the same, the group maintained and noted that no such victims were paraded before Manipur state Governor Dr SS Sidhu when he visited Parbung recently as was asserted by some NGOs.
In this connection, the UNLF appealed to other NGOs concerned, particularly Hmar Inpui, Hmar Women’s Association, Naga Mothers Union, Manipur, ATSUM and ANSAM to join and cooperate with the fact finding team instead of rejecting it outright on the ground of their ‘accepted facts’.
There is no reason why champions of ethnic human rights should refuse to do so, the group stated.
The underground outfit reiterated its firm commitment to award capital punishment to any of its cadres found guilty by the fact-finding team of committing the crime of rape. The UNLF would also do all it can to rehabilitate the victims of such crimes, it said.
Source: The Imphal Free Press
See also:
- Environmental Clearance of Tipaimukh Dam by MoEF (October 31st, 2008)
- Chakka bandh on Sep 18 against Tipaimukh dam (September 17th, 2008)
- 1 lakh Manipur villagers hit by bamboo flowering (September 2nd, 2008)
- Heavy security to be deployed on 99 km stretch of road to Tipaimukh dam (July 29th, 2008)
- Army launches Tipaimukh vigil (April 30th, 2008)