The Global Manipur Federation (GMF) on Wednesday vehemently condemned the massacre of 13 Meitei individuals and expressed condolences to the families affected by the incident that occurred at Leithao village near the Myanmar border on Monday.
The victims, identified as Meitei youths, some still in their teenage years, fell victim to a massacre perpetrated by Chin-Kuki militants allegedly, stated a release. Many of them were Internally Displaced People (IDPs) residing in relief camps, and in the absence of motive or evidence as to why their lifeless bodies were recovered near Leithao village, this gruesome incident can be classified as crimes against humanity, akin to the Supreme Court of India’s description of “keeping the Pot Boiling in Manipur,” it stated.
The victims were murdered after being captured, brutally tortured which raises alarming concerns of potential genocide and crimes against humanity under UN Article 3 of the Geneva Convention, it mentioned.
GMF urged the government of Manipur to officially recognise these individuals as martyrs and called upon the authority to employ all necessary legal measures to apprehend the perpetrators responsible for the mass killing.
The ongoing turmoil in Manipur, stemming from the 3 May violence, has disrupted the lives of these youths who would otherwise be leading peaceful lives with their families, it mentioned. GMF implores the provincial government and New Delhi to undertake confidence building measures towards ending this crisis and bringing a durable peace at the earliest, it added.
The governments are the custodian of the protection of life and security of the people of Manipur, it further stated, adding, GMF earnestly urges the governments to commit in protecting the public and their interests, in particular the desperate youths, and ensure that such incidents do not repeat in the future.
