IMPHAL, December 27: The Families of the Involuntarily Disappeared Association, Manipur (FIDAM) has made a strong appeal to the concern authorities to immediately halt any further digging of the former Tombisana High School campus and to seal off the premise from any unauthorised persons.
Speaking at a press conference today at Kwakeithel, general secretary of the association, Md Baniyamin said that premise was once use as a camp of security forces for many decades.
He said at the same time some of the initial expert opinions on the recovery of skulls have hinted and suggested that the skeletons and skulls would have been buried for around 17 to 40 years which roughly coincides with the period when the phenomena of `enforced disappearances`™ was endemic in the State.
It was during this very period that Thokchom Lokendro Singh (1980), Kangujam Loken Singh (1980), M Laizalal Bijoykumar (1996), Yumlembam Sanamacha (1998), N S John (1995), Khundrakpam Boyai (1998), Md Tayab Ali (1999) disappeared without any trac, he said.
The recovered skeletons could have been of one of those many who had disappeared in the hands of the security forces and could act as the most crucial and critical evidences against many heinous crimes, he continued.
However, it is shocking and at the same time uncalled for that the digging work inside the school premises is continuing unabated, he said stating that a team of FIDAM had visited the premises this morning.
Baniyamin also said that the supervising engineer of the M/S Simplex Project Ltd RC Chatterjee has already expressed his inability to cease the digging work without orders from his higher ups.
He said the association strongly appeals to the concerned authorities to immediately stop the digging and to seal off the place.
He further demanded the constitution of a high level commission of enquiry headed by a retd Judge and consisting of competent experts of various fields to systematically excavate the premise and collect further evidences.
The skulls, skeletons and other recovered items should be examined after conducting DNA profiling of the families who those who have disappeared without any trace during the said period and criminal proceedings should be immediately initiated should any foul play be noticed, he demanded.
Md Baniyamin also informed the media that FIDAM had submitted a memorandum to the State Chief Minister this morning in this regard.