The Hindu : National : What about destruction of government property, asks Ibobi

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Saturday, Jul 24, 2004

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National

What about destruction of government property, asks Ibobi

By Our Correspondent

IMPHAL, JULY 23. The Manipur Chief Minister, Okram Ibobi, who is facing pressure to withdraw the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, has charged the women vigilantes and other NGOs with ignoring human rights violations and not being worried about destruction of government property.

After the killing of a woman, Thangjam Manorama, allegedly by personnel of 17 Assam Rifles on July 11, at least 15 Government offices with invaluable documents and costly equipment were burnt down. Two Bihari workers were attacked and one of them died. The 32 NGOs who cared for Manorama have not said a word about these "senseless attacks," he said and expressed fears for the safety of the Manipuri students in Bihar.

`Consultations on'

He said it would take several decades and a lot of work to reconstruct the official records. Costly equipment donated by foreign agencies had been destroyed and the loser was the common man.

He said he was holding consultations on whether a partial or complete withdrawal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 could be announced by August 15. If such senseless killings and destruction of government property continued unabated he could not approach the Centre with a request to withdraw the Act.

Scribe beaten up

PTI reports:

The India Reserve Battalion (IRB) today roughed up a local scribe covering the activities of those attempting to take out a procession here during the curfew relaxation against the killing of Thangjam Manorama.

Official sources said the IRB personnel chased Thiya Ranjan, a reporter Sanaleibak, followed him into his house at Keisampat and beat him up severely.

Members of the All-Manipur Working Journalist Union and other media organisations launched a sit-in before the gates of the Chief Minister's office.

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