Following revelations about the fake encounter killing of a young man and a woman by the Manipur Police Commandos (MPC) in Imphal on July 23, 2009, people all over Manipur have come out in massive protest actions, condemning the killings and the brutal state terror.

Hundreds of people took to the streets of Imphal on August 2, raising slogans against the government and the security forces.

The Apunba Lup, a confederation of nearly 30 mass organizations, called for a 48 hour state wide general strike, on August 3 and 4, demanding resignation of the Chief Minister and exemplary punishment for the police commandos guilty of the killings of July 23. Dozens of other mass organizations have also been organizing protest actions. Market places and other business establishments remained closed and the inter-State as well as inter-district transport services were suspended, in response to the 48 hour bandh call.

Women protestors, popularly known as Meira Paibis, staged torch rallies at several places on the night of August 5 and fought pitched battles with the security forces. They burnt effigies of the Chief Minister. Curfew has been imposed in Imphal city from August 4, but the protests are continuing in defiance of the curfew, even now, as we go to press.

On August 10, the peoples organizations planned a massive protest rally in Imphal, breaking the curfew. Dozens of rallies began from different parts of the city. The state government unleashed massive repression, firing tear gas shells, mock bombs and rubber bullets, while youth and women retaliated with catapults and arrows. A number of people were arrested.  Rallies took place in Lamlai, Pungdongbam, Sawombung, Chingarel, Tezpur, Phaknung, Kabui Sairem, Konjeng Leikai etc. Effigies of the chief minister, and the state DGP were burnt at these places.

The Working Committee of Apunba Lup announced plans to submit a memorandum to the Governor of Manipur in the rally, with a charter of demands that include, awarding befitting punishment to the criminal police commandos who were involved in the Khwairamband firing, appropriate action against the police officers who tried to conceal the real culprit, resignation of the chief minister on moral ground for his misleading and irresponsible statement to the public on the floor of the Manipur state Assembly as well as to media persons, and the unconditional release of those who were detained under police custody in connection with the ongoing agitation.

Four arrested activists of the Working Committee of Apunba Lup have been detained under the National Security Act (NSA) on August 11, 2009. Soon after the activists were brought out of the courtroom they shouted slogans like, “Long live Manipur, we condemn the July 23 incident”.

Protests against state terrorism in the hills of Manipur

All over the hills in Manipur, the move of the state government to deploy the notorious police commandos and IRB (India Reserve Battalion) in the hill districts is facing massive opposition.

A mass public rally has been called by eight different student bodies of the hill districts on August 11. The rally on August 11 is to be held at all the district headquarters of the hill districts to protest against the recent Cabinet move for deployment of state police commandos and IRB in all the hill districts of the state.

Truckers bring movement to a standstill

Meanwhile, since the beginning of August, truckers have been on strike in the state, bringing all movement on the national highway to a standstill. The strike has been called to protest against the state terror that transporters have to face, from the armed forces to the so called underground groups, the collection of “taxes”, etc, which is making life a living hell for them.

People want an end to state terrorism

Five years ago, following the terrible rape and murder of Manorama Devi by the Assam Rifles personnel, the whole of Manipur rose up in revolt demanding punishment to the guilty and the revocation of the hated Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

These protests had a powerful echo all over the country, including the capital Delhi. The Manmohan Singh Government was compelled to appoint a Commission to enquire into the AFSPA and the demands of the people, and it was forced to make a show of repealing AFSPA from certain parts of Imphal, particularly the sensitive Kanglai Pak area.

Five years down the line, the report of the Commission has gathered dust, it has not been even tabled in parliament! State terrorism has continued unabated, and the Central and state governments have evolved new instruments of state terrorism, like the special commandos, the IRB’s etc, to recruit Manipuris to fight Manipuris. The people of Manipur have constantly protested these moves. Now, the cold-blooded fake encounter killings of July 23, 2009 have opened the floodgates of protests of people. They want an end to AFSPA, they want the dismantling of all state sponsored terrorist groups, they want the guilty to be punished.