It said, the immediate call for the candle-light vigil was taken following the Attorney General’s adverse comments in the Supreme Court against the people of Manipur. Prominent human rights activist Babloo Loitongbom addressed the protest meeting and condemned Attorney General’s statement.
It is worrying fact that the reported number of persons who have been killed in fake encounter cases by the security forces in Manipur up till 2012 is above 1528, which is 14.43% of the total population of the State. These details have been placed before the Hon’ble court. The figure, of course, would be much higher if unreported cases are included in the statistical findings. Such brute action, the resistance to open up extra-judicial killings to investigation, as well as the unwillingness to take appropriate and timely action, like court martial, under the given Army Act, indicate nothing but government apathy and intolerance of the people’s movement in Manipur. In reality, such action represents little respect and commitment for negotiation and peace talks by the government, said NEFIS in the press release.
It said, at the candle-light vigil and protest meeting, NEFIS activists resolved that if the Supreme Court ruling fails to uphold justice then an all-India campaign will be launched on the issue and a public condemnation will be aggressively pursued across cities where Manipuri youth study/work in large numbers.