SIPHRO

Sangzuol Thiek

Aizawl, April 12, 2006: The Hmar Inpui, the apex body of the Hmar tribe has denied the alleged politicizing of the rape issue by the United National Liberation Front. The Hmar Inpui denial came in the wake of the allegation made by the UNLF that the Hmars were interested in politicizing the issue with the ulterior motive of creating ethnic tension to defeat the UNLF’s national liberation struggles.

The valley-based militant organization brazenly dismissed the charges of the alleged rape of 21 Hmar women committed by some of its cadres in January 2006 as untrue and the manipulation of some outside-based NGOs working for Indian intelligence agencies and interested in politicizing the issue with the ulterior motive of creating ethnic tension. The UNLF also announced its preparedness to welcome an independent body of international stature like the International Committee on Red Cross (ICRC) to probe the alleged crimes.

“The Hmar Inpui regards the statement as yet another sinister attempt by the UNLF to introduce a concocted political and conspirator theory to the issue of mass rape and torture so as to confuse the issue and suppress the truth. While admitting the charges of torture and beating of innocent villagers, the UNLF justified the beatings as a punishment to some collaborators of Indian security forces. The Hmar Inpui deeply disdains the baseless insinuation and regards the statement as an attempt to digress the issue to hide their guilt and shame,” said the Hmar Inpui in a press statement issued from Churachandpur.

The Hmar Inpui reiterates that it We have nothing to do with the political agenda of the UNLF and that we stand for the integrity of the state and the country and the maintenance of an atmosphere of traditional peaceful co-existence of all ethnic communities in the State which some of the valley-based militants have been unfortunately trying to wreck, the statement read.

The Hmar Inpui expressed appreciation to the Rajkowa Commission’s decision to conduct the hearings of the inquiry into the mass rapes at Parbung, the sub-divisional headquarters of Tipaimukh sub-division.

“We have no objection to the suggestion of the UNLF to appoint an independent probe body of international stature like the International Committee on Red Cross (ICRC),” the statement said.

The Hmar Inpui clarified the Delhi Rally on April 4, 2006 by all the tribal ethnic groups of Manipur and Mizoram was organized under the auspices of the Hmar Students’ Association and not by outside-based NGOs as stated by the UNLF in its statement. Their statement stated that the Rally was a clear manifestation of the unity of all ethnic groups in their fight and condemnation of the killings, atrocities and rapes committed and the indiscriminate planting of landmines by the valley-based militants.