Imphal Jul 13 MNS/UNA: A rally to protest against the crime on women and children jointly organsied by conflict widows forum, Manipur, SSA, women empowerment for justice, willage women co-ordinating committee, Heinoubok. Awang women welfare assn, united club development platform and khwairamband keithel lambi potpham phambi lup was taken out in Imphal after a meeting was held at Lainingthou Lai Awangba Shanglen today. M. Brajishori Devi member, CWF said, security forces which are meant for protecting people from enemies were involved in crime on women and child. It is very unfortunate.
The meeting has taken some resolutions which included among other things, repeal AFSPA 1958 from Manipur, punish those who committed crime against women, to provide compensation to victims, frame charge sheets.
A memorandum with regards to rising crimes against women and children and prolong imposition of AFSPA, 1958 in Manipur was submitted to the chief minister of Manipur by the rallyists before concluding with a public meeting at Lainingthou Awangba Sanglen at Khurai, Imphal East district.
Copies of the memorandum were also faxed to the offices of the President of India, Prime Minister and Union home minister.
The memorandum while highlighting many instances of crimes against women and children in the state in the recent time, alleged the root cause of these crimes was the prolong imposition of AFSPA, 1958 in the state.
It further said that number of government appointed committees and groups such as Justice Jeevan Reddy Committee, the Administrative Reform Commission, the Working Group on Confidence-Building Measures in J&K and Justice Verma Commission have recommended for repeal of AFSPA.
However, government has been remaining silent without considering the recommendations and drew the attention of the President, Prime Minister, Union home minister and state chief minister in this regard.
After submitting the memorandum to the chief minister, the rally made an U-turn and converged at Lainingthou Awangba Sanglen at Khurai where a meeting was followed.
Leaders of various civil organizations who spoke at the meeting strongly condemned the increase in crimes committed against women and children in the state, saying that such barbaric nature of perpetrators of crime is very unfortunate.
They further suggested the need for divine punishment, asserting that it would be more severe than punishment awarded under laws of the land.
The National Crime Records Bureau says more than 24,200 rapes were reported in India in 2011, or one every 20 minutes, the leaders asserted, adding that as per a recent UNICEF survey, despite changing values in the young generation, 57 percent of Indian males between the ages of 15 to 19 contend domestic violence against women.
About 53 percent of females within the same age group feel the same, on par with rates of women from older age groups, they added.
A leader of the Conflict Widow Forum said the rally was organized to protest against lack of concern and attention to the ever increasing crime committed against women and children by Central and state government.
She criticized both the governments at the Centre and state for remaining stiff silence over the matter despite the hue and cry of the all section of the society, particularly from the women.
She informed that copies of the memorandum submitted to the state chief minister would also be forwarded to the opposition leader Sushma Swaraj, Manipur Governor and also to the state home minister.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/organisations-demand-safety-of-women/
