SIPHRO

Imphal, May 22, 2006: The Rajkhowa Commission probing allegations of mass rape of Hmar women at Parbung and Lungthulien by cadres of KCP and UNLF outfits has rejected a petition filed by Human Rights Alert to examine the accused cadres by the International Committee of the Red Cross while endorsing two other petitions on the same issue.

HRA filed the petition when the inquiry panel headed by Justice (retired) SP Rajkhowa had its sitting at Churachandpur district headquarters on May 15.citing certain legal provisions, the panel rejected one of the HRA petitions to rope in the ICRC to ascertain the whole truth including cross examination of the alleged victims but accepted HRA appeal for cross examination and another relating to MAFYF’s prayer for obtaining copies of statements of witnesses.

‘To secure cross-examination of the already examined victims and other witnesses the Commission is sending a notice/letter to Lungthulien village for the witnesses’ phase-wise presence at churachandpur district headquarters,’ Justice Rajkhowa said today.

the State Home Department authorities informed the Commission that since the Army had taken control of the sub-divisions where the incident is alleged to have taken place, the witnesses can move freely though the roads are still in bad shape.

the probe panel’s Chairman conveyed to have received positive response from the State authorities regarding payment of TA/DA and accommodation to the witnesses who are economically deprived and tentatively cited June second week for the crossexamination proceedings.

Regarding copies of witnesses’ accounts, Justice Rajkhowa informed parties concerned that ‘translation from Hmar dialect to English is under process currently’. Meanwhile, the same panel probing alleged sexual harassment of Maibam Naobi Chanu, received affidavits in-reply from the police party.

Source: The Sangai Express