IMPHAL, July 26: Four months have passed since the incident of Indian Reserve Battalion personnel raping a U-Morok trader made headlines. However, the government that claims to have advocated human rights in its highest form is yet to come up with any definite response till today.
This was stated by Panti Gonmei during a press meet held at Ruangmei Lu Phuam Liaison office at Tarung in the presence of the raped victim Jangthailiu Kamei and her husband Ngamsoklung Kamei.
Speaking to a team of media persons on behalf of Rongmei Lu Phuam, Naga Women Union and the victim, Panti said everything that has been needed on part of the victim has been done. But the government is trying to play the delaying tactics, she added.
Questioning the state government, she said that a lot of women in Manipur might have been facing the same stigma that Jangthailiu face today. It is as a result of the government attitude on crime against women that violence against women is on the increase.
Jangthailu Kamei, a mother of four and a chilly trader of Ganglon Part-IV, Tamenglong was gangraped by IRB prersonnel in Bishenpur district on the 22 March. The incident happened while she was on her way to home from Imphal in a Shaktiman Truck with his brother-in-law Sathailung Kamei.
“The case that Jangthailiu fight is not solely of hers. The fight is for the common good, especially the right of women. Everyone ought to support the cause”, said Panti, referring to the urgent need of support from NGOs and right groups.
Lamenting on the response received from church leaders around Imphal on their prayer to help the victim, she said, “None of them came up with any response either in the form of prayer or moral support. Church as a religious institution must play an important role”.
Relating Jangthailiu case with the Jessical Lal killing, she said that the culprits might have been very influential in the state administration which is why the government is playing its delaying tactics.
However, the case will be taken up in the national and international level with likeminded NGOs even if the state is not willing to deliver justice to the lone women right campaigner, she added.
In this regard the Rongmei Lu Pham (RLP) has also submitted an Urgent Appeal Case to the Asian Human Rights Commission on the 5th July 2012. The commission urgued the RLP
The victim’s husband Ngamsoklung Kamei demanded charge sheet to be framed against the culprits at the earliest. He said, “By not bringing the culprits to justice, the government is denying justice to the victim and the family the second time”.
He also lamented, “We have been approached several times by aides of the culprits to withdraw the case with a huge promise, but we turned down such offers. What we want is giving befitting punishment that the law promises us”.
It is also learnt that no help, even in the form of interim relief, was granted by the family till today by the government. Jangthailiu was the only breadwinner of the family as her husband is handicapped as a result of bone dislocation in the arm.
In this regard the RLP has also submitted an Urgent Appeal Case to the Asian Human Rights Commission on the 5th July 2012. The commission urged the RLP to forwarded the letter to the state DGP and Chief Minister, the National Human Rights Commission and other concerned authorities for necessary information.