Extrajudicial killing of children surface in Manipur

Imphal, May 19: Nearly 100 cases of extrajudicial execution of children have been reported in the last three decades in Manipur. This shocking picture came to light after Civil Societies Coalition on Human Rights in Manipur (CSCHR) mentioned in its petition submitted to a team of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), North East Cell. The CSCHR alleged that 92 children have been executed.
"Ninety-two cases of extrajudicial execution of children have been recorded in Manipur from 1979 to February 6, 2012, the CSCHR said. The petition was supported with documents.
The members of the NCPCR are camping in Imphal since Friday. In the petition, the CSCHR appealed to the commission to take up urgent steps to deliver justice to the families of the victims.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), North East Cell is headed by its chairperson Prof Shantha Sinha. Ever since they arrived in the state, the team has been holding a series of discussion on the cases.
The team comprised NCPCR’s special advisor (NE Cell) Dr L Mishra, former DG Sh DR Kaarthikeyan (retired director of CBI), project coordinator (RTE) Ajay Kumar, senior consultant Sanjay Kumar Tiwari, consultant of Asian Centre for Human Rights Santosh Chakma.
The NCPCR conducted a formal hearing on the alleged encounter killing of a 16-year boy by Manipur police commandos four months back, in January this year.
Sixteen-year old Master Ahanthem Amujao of Sawombung Gate Maning Leikai, Imphal East district was killed in an alleged encounter with a team of police commandos attached with Imphal West district police at Khuman Lampak Palli on January 29 last.
The killing had sparked a widespread protest when autopsy report on Amujao's dead body indicated that he was not killed in an encounter, but a case of custodial death. NGOs working for the protection of rights of children, particularly Centre for Organization Research and Education (CORE), Manipur had brought up to the alleged extra judicial killing to the notice of the
NCPCR while expressing strong concerned over the killing of the teenaged boy in alleged “fake” encounter. The NCPCR team came here to investigate into the case in response to a complaint made by the CORE, Manipur regarding the alleged extra judicial execution of Amujao, CORE Convener Dr L Debabrata Roy said.
The team conducted a formal hearing at Hotel Imphal yesterday. They met with family members of the victim boy and other witnesses of the incident. The NCPCR team further took up the case of recent case of torture of Master Sonkhopao Mate (16) from Chandel district by AssamRifles.
Following the hearing the NCPCR team had a consultation with the NGOs of Manipur including members of the Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) of Chandel, Tamenglong, Ukhrul, Imphal West and Imphal East districts on the issues related with protection of children in ‘disturbed’ areas or armed conflict situations.
During the discussion with the civil societies, chairperson of the NCPCR Prof Shantha Sinha announced that a Special North East Cell has been recently set opened at the NCPCR. The consultation with NGOs was facilitated by the Civil Societies Coalition on Human Rights in Manipur and the UN (CSCHR).
They discussed the issues of impunity in the context of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, various lapses ad lacunae in the procedures to be taken up by the government in cases of culpable homicide involving children in accordance to the guidelines of the Supreme Court, the National Human Rights Commission and the Code of Criminal Procedures.
The need to assert the supremacy of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2000 (amended in 2006) over AFSPA with regard to children in conflict with the law and involved in armed conflict in Manipur and other parts of India and the need to develop a “Standard Operating Procedure” to be adopted by NCPCR to deal with complaints relating to “encounter deaths” of children were felt in the discussions with representatives of NGOs and government officials.
On Saturday, the team met with the Deputy Commissioners and Superintendent of Police of Chandel, Tamenglong and Imphal West, the state home secretary, the Manipur chief secretary, state home minister Gaikhangam and Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh. The team will leave Imphal on Sunday.