SIPHRO

HWA, Hmarram region Press Statement
May 23, 2006

On behalf of the Hmar Internally Displaced Persons and victims of rape and torture, the Hmar Women Association, Tipaimukh Area, Churachandpur, Manipur express our heartfelt thanks and gratitude to all who have been standing by us all through the days of our tribulations following the mass rape of our innocent girls and inhuman torture of our people by some cadres of the UNLF and KCP on January 16, 2006.

At the same time, we have also noted with deep disdain the seemingly devious role of the Human Rights Alert that has been playing in the garb of championing the cause of human rights. Its Executive Director Babloo Loitongbam, accompanied by members from NPMHR, NWUM and RLP visited our areas during March 6 to 8, 2006 and interviewed some of the victims. Despite their great revulsion, the rape victims hesitantly gave their testimony and the gruesome ordeal they hade gone through on the belief that he would stand for truth and be able to help them in bringing the rapist to justice. His consoling but hollow words like, “Today is one of the saddest day in my life”, or, “This is the day I feel most ashamed to be a Manipuri” still ring loud and clear in our ears.

However, to our utter shock and dismay, he turned a traitor, a Brutus! Rather than upholding truth and proclaiming it to those who are eagerly waiting for it, he withheld release of his findings for days for reason best known to him alone. Besides, as if siding with the perpetrators of the crime and not believing in himself and his friends, HRA has been harping on the need for sending an independent investigative agency. HRA is also now insisting on the need to cross-examine the rape victims despite the fact that Rajkhowa Inquiry Commission appointed by the Manipur government to probe the charges did not do so. The points we would like to raise here is – Has not Mr. Loitongbam got all the detail information he required when he went there and met them? What is the need now to cross-examine them with the sole intention of negating the truth by a battery of his handpicked lawyers? Conversely, is the HRA really serious in roping the ICRC and did he really believe that this International Agency will agreed to do so while there are more appropriate agency to tackle this kind of issue?

According to the recent Press report, the Supreme Court of India held that the testimony of a woman alleging that she was raped could not be rejected even if doctors failed to find any sign of rape. The Supreme Court also called on subordinate courts to deal with rape cases with the utmost sensitivity because, “a murderer destroys the physical body of his victim, (but) a rapist degrades the very soul of the helpless female”. Would Shri Loitongbam and his HRA stop degrading their pious organisation by trying to defend the indefensible in the name of human rights? We demand justice. We will continue to fight for it no matter the cost.

We would also like to once again testify the rape of our innocent women by the UNLF and KCP cadres is ignorable truth. Besides, the problems of refugees and landline victims etc are true to our life. We have been witnessing them helplessly and bearing them I silently till today. It is our pleas and appeal to everyone that the truth of our misery and suffering is not treated merely as created story or propaganda. Please help us to carry our burden of fear, shame and helplessness and not ignore them to unwanted debate of truth.

Issued by the:

Hmar Women Association
Hmar Ram Region