IMPHAL, June 3: Justice Kotiswar today launched a free legal aid service for the marginalized communities of the state at the office of CoNE (Community Network for Empowerment) at Palace Compound today.
The service has been organized by CoNE and Manipur State Legal Services Authority.
Speaking after inaugurating the service, the Justice said, “Community networks and NGOs in Manipur are doing a great job of empowering their own community members”.
“By opening this legal aid clinic we are only making it more meaningful,” said Justice N Kotiswar Singh, Judge, High Court of Manipur, and Executive Chairman of the Manipur State Legal Services Authority (MASLSA).
Urging paralegal volunteers to work selflessly, Justice Kotiswar pointed out that as societies progress, people are confronted with more and more complex issues and problems.
The legal system also has to progress and adapt to address these issues and this is where the concept of legal aid emerges, he added.
Justice Abhay Manohar Sapre, Chief Justice, High Court of Manipur and Patron in-Chief, MASLSA, in his message said, “The legal aid clinic will serve as a door for providing justice to the oppressed and the marginalized section of our society and will give them new hope that justice is done to each without fear and favour”.
In his keynote address, A. Guneshwar Sharma, Member Secretary, Manipur State Legal Services Authority (MASLSA), said that MASLSA has been set up with an aim to protect the constitutional rights of all human beings, vulnerable communities in particular.
He continued, “Now that a clinic for marginalized communities has been set up we hope more and more people will access legal services available in the state”.
“The government provides free legal aid to the marginalized and vulnerable population across the state. Besides this, MASLSA will also strive for legal literacy among the needy, ” he added.
The clinic will provide free legal services to marginalized sections of the society particularly, female sex workers, people infected and affected by HIV and AIDS, transgenders and people who use drugs.
CoNE president, Nalinikanta said that marginalized communities like drug users, sex workers, transgenders and people infected and affected by HIV and AIDS are often the soft target of various forms of rights violation and abuse. Destitution and lack of legal awareness only add to their woes.
“A legal aid clinic catering to and sensitive to the needs of these people will help them live a life of dignity and tell others that they cannot be trampled and pushed around”.
One of the twenty paralegal volunteers who took part in the two-day training conducted by MASLSA to run the legal aid clinic at CoNE, said that once the clinic is open she would be the first to avail its services.
She said, “Now 1 know what to do and where to go, they (her in-laws) cannot deny me my rightful share of property that is due to my deceased husband. My children won`t have to beg for it”, the woman whose husband died a few years back said confidently.
Burdened with the responsibility of looking after her five children she was compelled to take up sex work, she said.
Another volunteer, said he faces discrimination from his own family and neighbours.
He continued, he has two children and his youngest son is also living with HIV/AIDS.
His wife and sons face discrimination and assault from his other family members, he said.
He has been living with HIV/AIDS since 2002 and was diagnosed with Hepatitis C in 2008, he said and added that he has no fear of HIV/AIDS but is afraid he might not be able to cope with Hepatitis C.