IMPHAL, Jan 13: The eight skulls and skeletons, recovered while digging up the old Tombisana School compound for the construction of a women`™s market, are remnants of India`™s silent attempt to wipe out the whole Manipuri society so that Indians could settle in the lands vacated by the Manipuris, proscribed outfit People`™s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak has said in a press statement.
Referring to the incident as the discovery of a mass grave maintained by India, the proscribed outfit has said that as much as the government wants to keep such incidents under wraps, today the mass grave at the old school compound has been brought under the limelight for all to see.
A proper examination of the skulls and skeletons by forensic experts will reveal the whole truth however, it would be hard for the people to hope for a proper investigation considering the manner with which the Ibobi government and the Indian government are handling the case, it said.
During the early part of 1960, AFSPA was imposed in some districts of Assam and some hill districts of Manipur and on September 8, 1980 the Act was imposed in the whole of Manipur including the valley districts, the statement continued. Since then there has been instances of more than 20 individuals have gone missing with most of them being taken away by the army, it said.
The discovery of the skulls when there are so many instances of forced disappearance has only heightened the public`™s desire to know the truth behind the skulls, it continued.
The people want the truth behind the recovered human skulls and skeletons and proper and fitting investigation along with proper examination by forensic experts, said the outfit in its statement.
It continued that the even though the government has announced its decision to hand over the investigation to the CBI, it is yet to be issued in the gazette notification. The CBI`™s involvement in any investigation need to be notified by the Indian Government according to the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act section 6, the proscribed outfit`™s statement said.
Citing several cases of forced disappearances which the CBI had taken up, the outfit investigation by the CBI cannot be trusted.
The investigation should be conducted by a Special Investigation Team headed by an IG or DIG ranked police officer based on the recommendation or findings on the case of a three member inquiry commission headed by a retd judge of the High Court or a district judge as prescribed by India`™s Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952, it said.