Imphal, April 12, 2007: Even as identity could be established regarding the man gunned down by personnel of the 32 Assam Rifles at Heirokland yesterday, the Kuki Movement for Human Rights decried the AR action as extra-judicial killing.
Body of the victim identified as Lamneigin Vaiphei (35) of Canaanphai village in Saikul sub-division is being kept at RIMS morgue till late evening today.
According to a release of the Kuki rights body, Lamneigin s/o (L) Demkhothang vaiphei was arrested by personnel of 32 Assam Rifles from L Molnom village yesterday morning only to be executed at about 7.30 pm the same day at Heirokland Kachinlok which is about five kilometres from L Molnom village.
Recalling that Kuki people have been experiencing frequent instances of such killing at the hands of security forces (Army), the KMHR questioned relevance of AR’s catch-phrase ‘Friends of the Hill People’ under such circumstances.
Posing why the victim was not given a fair trial in the court and whether the army have the authority to eliminate anybody in their custody, the rights body described the killing as complete violation of human rights and condemned the alleged custodial killing rather than extending a chance to Lamneigin to defend himself in a court of law.
source: The Sangai Express
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)