A North East Women’s group has appealed to the President of India, Draupadi Murmu to intervene on behalf of Babloo Loitongbam, a very well known and respected human rights worker from Manipur, who together with his family has faced threats of harm for his defiant defence of human rights abuses in the current conflict in Manipur.
The letter of appeal is endorsed by 48 personalities from the region, including peace builders, human rights activists, women’s organisations, writers, journalists and more.
We are reproducing the letter below:
To
Smt. Draupadi Murmu,
The Honourable President of India,
Rashtrapati Bhavan
New Delhi
India.
We, concerned women leaders, human rights activists, peace builders, journalists, community leaders and concerned citizens from North East India are totally outraged and unequivocally condemn the recent dastardly and vicious attack based on trumped up allegations against Babloo Loitongbam a highly respected, renowned and credible human rights defender from the state of Manipur.
Honourable Madam, we submit this memorandum urging you for your immediate and urgent intervention and decisive action on the alarming situation in Manipur where unchecked extremism and violent vigilantism has increased exponentially and operates with blatant impunity under the very nose of the Biren Singh government. An atmosphere of fear grips the citizens of the state who are already reeling under the impact of the 17 months long conflict to which the double engine government at the State and Centre seem to have no control or solution. Many of these citizens have experienced unprecedented violence and mayhem at very close quarters and cannot be subjected to more. The State is duty bound to ensure that.
On the morning of September 23, 2024, a mob of some 50 young men arrived at the residence of Babloo Loitongbam and threatened his family with dire consequences if Babloo is seen in the public domain. This threat was preceded by a press conference held the previous day by members of the Meitei Leepun (ML) levelling false charges against Babloo and warning people against working with him. Earlier too, this group and others have both threatened and vandalised Babloo’s home. The intent was not lost on any of us. It was to gag and suffocate the voice of justice, reason and peace.
Babloo Loitongbam is a human rights lawyer of very high repute. His organisation Human Right Alert (HRA) includes lawyers empanelled under the Manipur Legal Services Authority to offer legal services to all who need it. Babloo is an independent citizen of the state and a firm believer in peaceful coexistence of the different communities of Manipur. He is certainly not on the payroll of any militant outfit or others as accused by self styled ‘protectors’ of Manipur who have no idea or choose to ignore that over three decades Babloo has fought relentlessly for the withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958 and for justice for the people including for Meitei families whose loved ones were killed in ‘enforced disappearance and extrajudicial executions’. Babloo is the driving force that these charges finally reached the Supreme Court – country’s highest court of Justice. Will his accusers have either the tenacity or the commitment to stay the course and selflessly fight for justice for unrelated members of even their own community leave alone others?
While on the face of it this may look like an individual case when placed in the prevailing context of Manipur. But it is not. It raises a huge alarm for all concerned citizens who stand up for justice and want a solution to the vexed problem in Manipur today. Ironically in recent times there has been a plethora of ‘peace rhetoric’ on Manipur including by the Home Minister Mr. Amit Shah. The question is “Is peace building simply a bureaucratic, transactional, deal striking process”? Can we even talk about peace when the spoilers of peace operate with impunity and the enablers of violence are never questioned or removed. The Manipur situation so far has epitomised the abject failure of the state and of governance. If the Central government is now serious and sincere in restoring peace to this restive state then it has to ensure that violence and the enablers of the rhetoric of violence have to be stopped, brought to account and face consequences. It has to ensure that voices that call for peaceful coexistence and the willingness to listen to both sides of the conflict cannot be gagged.
The State is responsible for the security and safety of all its citizens but especially of people like Babloo Loitongbam who speak for justice and peaceful solutions. We reiterate that these voices cannot be silenced. We demand that the citizens of Manipur are able to live free from anxiety.
We join these voices and are confident that the Honourable President will do too.
Thank you for your attention and action,
Endorsed by:
Dr. Roshmi Goswami, NE Women Leader/South Asians For Human Rights, Meghalaya/Assam
Angela Rangad, TUR, Meghalaya
Tarun Bhartiya, TUR, Meghalaya
Patricia Mukhim, Senior Journalist/Editor Shillong Times, Padmasree awardee, Meghalaya
Dr. Monisha Behal, NE Women Leader, Assam/NE
Sanjoy Hazarika, Author, Assam/Meghalaya
Prof. Udayon Misra, Retd. Professor/Intellectual, Assam
Prof. Tilottoma Misra, Retd. Professor/Intellectual, Assam
Dr. Amrita Gogoi, Academic, Assam
Dr. Walter Fernandes, Director NESRC/Intellectual, Assam
Chitra Ahanthem, Citizen, Manipur/New Delhi.
Seno Tsuhah, Feminist/Woman Leader, Nagaland
Ngaineikim Chairperson, Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights, Manipur
Mary Beth Sanate, Women in Governance (WING-G), Manipur
Anurita Pathak, Feminist, Assam/NE
Rashmi Rekha, Feminist, Assam
Jarjum Gamlin Ete, Woman Leader, Arunachal Pradesh
Prof. Manorama Sharma, Retd. Professor NEHU/ Intellectual, Assam
Pradip Phanjoubam, Senior Journalist Manipur
Dr. Indranee Dutta, Retd. Professor, Assam
Dr. Xonzoi Barbora, MASS, Assam
Prof. Amar Yumnam, Ex- Vice Chancellor Manipur University/ Centre For Economic & Social Studies, Hyderabad Manipur/Telengana
Paresh Malakar, Axom Nagarik Samaj, Assam
Maini Mahanta, Writer/Feminist, Assam
Bondita Mrina, Women in Governance (WIN-G), Assam
Indira Kangjam, Citizen, Manipur/New Delhi
Dr. Bhogtoram Mawroh, Academic, Meghalaya
Samhita Barooah, Assistant Prof. Tezpur University, Assam
Anjuman Ara, Women in Governance (WIN-G), Assam
Mayfereen Ryntathiang, Grassroots, Meghalaya
Dr. Moses Kharbithai, Academic, Meghalaya
Caldwell Manners, Communications/Documentary Photographer, Meghalaya
Wanpynhun Kharsati, Woman Leader, Meghalaya
Supriya Khound, Feminist, Assam
Abantee Dutta, Lawyer, Assam
Nilanju Dutta, Feminist, Assam
Nandita Deka, Lawyer, Assam
Khawlnunsangi, Women in Governance (WIN-G) Manipur
Sunita Akoijam, Citizen, Manipur
Achan Mungleng, Researcher, Manipur
Laxmi Chetri,Activist, Assam
Tongam Rina, Journalist, Arunachal Pradesh
Soumen Moulik, Citizen, Meghalaya/West Bengal
Gertrude Lamare, Researcher, Meghalaya
Rehana Rahman, Feminist, Assam
Swarna Rajagopalan, Citizen, Tamilnadu
Anupam Banerjee, Citizen, West Bengal
Shangnaidar Shangdar, Women in Governance (WIN-G), Manipur
