IMPHAL, February 19: Various civil society organizations have strongly condemned the act of unknown gunmen who came looking for Naharolgi Thoudang editor Khoirom Loyalakpa at his residence.
In a press release, the United NGOs Mission Manipur, North East Dialogue Forum, Social Welfare and Development Centre, Women Action for Development, Social Action Development Organization, Social Development Foundation, United Tribal Development Project, Peoples` Platform Secretariat, People Action Development H-37, Life Development Organization, Centre for Social Development and Village Women Coordinating Committee have strongly condemned the incident.
`We are deeply shocked to hear the news of attacking the residence of Khoirom Loyalakpa, Editor, Naharolgi Thoudang, the Local daily newspaper on 17th February 2015 at around 10.30 am at Kontha Khabam Mayai Leikai by four armed persons while he was out of his residence,` the statement said.
`The four masked armed men asked for Loyalakpa in the presence of his 94 years old mother and 97 years old father. Every nook and corner of the residence was searched with an arrogant action by holding a gun in their hands,` it further said.
`94 years old mother of Loyalakpa was mentally shocked after the action of the four masked men, and she is still traumatized,` it said.
`We strongly condemned such act of serious human rights violation,` it said.
`We also condemned the attack on Noren Ningombam along with his cameramen Bipin Sharma, the bureau chief of “Impact TV” on 13th February 2015 at Moreh by the four personnel of 9th Assam Rifles while they were covering a mob gathered at Moreh police station to demand the release of a man arrested earlier,` it further said.
The people in Manipur already experienced the assassination of Konsam Rishikanta of Imphal Free Press and others few years ago, it said.
Attacking civilians, journalists, human rights defenders, women and children are fall under War Crime which has to be obliged by Indian State, it said.
`We urge the Government of India and Manipur to investigate the cases mentioned above by establishing an independent committee and take up legal measures to the perpetrators and punish them under the rule of law,` the statement added.