Tag: richard loitam

Manipuri teen’s death: Arrest of suspects demanded

Bangalore: Amid growing public outcry demanding justice for Manipuri student Loitam Richard, died under suspicious… more »

Bangalore: Amid growing public outcry demanding justice for Manipuri student Loitam Richard, died under suspicious circumstances in his college hostel here last month, a former Minister from that state on Tuesday demanded immediate arrest of those behind the “killing”.

Manipur’s CPI Secretary and former Arts and Culture Minister M Nara Singh, who met Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda here yesterday, said he was happy with Gowda’s assurance to him that the suspects in the killing would be nabbed.

Singh said Gowda would address students from north-eastern in Karnataka in the next couple of days.

 

Source: Zee News

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/05/manipuri-teens-death-arrest-of-suspects-demanded/

The Relations: Time to Rethink and Act

  By Rajkumar Bobichand Racial profiling and discrimination is something not always reflected in the… more »

 

By Rajkumar Bobichand
Racial profiling and discrimination is something not always reflected in the statute and other documents of the powers that control peoples who belong to different races. But it is an experience of the people who are discriminated. It is the reflection of relationships between the people who are in powers or more powerful and the people upon whom the power is being exercised.

We know that racial profiling is a form of racism, like, consisting of the policy of policemen who stop and search vehicles driven by persons belonging to particular racial groups vis-à-vis racial discrimination is a discriminatory or abusive behaviour of members of a race towards members of another race.

The issue of racial profiling and discrimination of students and people from Manipur in particular and the Northeast in general has reached its India-wide attention of both media and the powers that be in New Delhi after the all-out protests over the beating of a Manipuri student in Bangalore to death and the death of a girl student from Meghalaya who was studying MBA at Amity University.

There have been a number of reports about the mass exodus of students seeking higher studies and educated youth from the region primarily because of unemployment had been repeatedly hounded in the metropolitan cities and other places in mainland India. A number of students return with experiences of racial profiling and discrimination. Hundreds of rape cases involving Northeast girls are happening on a regular basis right on his doorstep at New Delhi. How the people of Mainland India look towards the people from the Northeast who looks a bit oriental or Southeast Asian is well known to them and the people from the Northeast have been experiencing it for many years. It is well known that they call the people from the Northeast as Chinkee because the Northeast is racially, culturally, linguistically, historically and physically very distinct from the mainland India. In their mindset people from the Northeast is not considered as Indian as there has not been an established oneness between the people of the Northeast and the rest of India. And always look down upon the people of the Northeast.

This is once again confirmed from what the Home Minister of India said, in a reply to Mr Arun Jaitly’s call attention of the Home Minister towards the racial profiling and discrimination against the students of Northeast who go to different parts of India, that the centre accorded highest importance to the development of the Northeastern region as well as prevention of atrocities against the Scheduled Tribes as if all the peoples of the Northeast are all tribes.  As India’s Rural Minister, Ms Agatha Sangma who hails from the Northeast said that South India is very different from North India, but no south Indian in Delhi would be made to feel he does not look Indian, we cannot observe such obvious attitude and behaviour of the people of north India towards south Indians. There was an order or guidelines from Delhi police particularly for the people from the Northeast how to dress and behave in New Delhi to avoid molestation, rape and other atrocities towards the people of Northeast. If these are not racial profiling and discrimination, what is it?

The perpetrators will always say that there is no any racial profiling and discrimination. Racial profiling and discrimination is to treat differently a person or group of people based on their racial origins. Power is a necessary precondition, for it depends on the ability to give or withhold social benefits, facilities, services, opportunities etc., from someone who should be entitled to them, and are denied on the basis of race, colour or national origin.

The racial profiling and discrimination is about the mindset of the people who are in power over the other race. The attitude of racial profiling and discrimination turns out as their behaviour, thereby raping and killing of the innocent girls and young women from the Northeast. They insult the people from the Northeast openly in public places in most parts and major cities of India. These are embedded in the relationship of the two distinct groups of people. How many times, how many innocent students from the Northeast will continue to die in the hands of the people in India’s major cities including metropolitans? How many innocent girls and young women who are studying and working outside the Northeast continue to be victims of rape by the people from mainland India? How long will the students and people of this part of the globe continue to protest and demand justice. This is the time to rethink about the relations between the people of the Northeast and the mainland India and act accordingly so that the people of the Northeast can live with dignity.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/05/the-relations-time-to-rethink-and-act/

Justice for Richard Loitam: Protest at Chennai, India

Protest Against the Killing of Richard Loitam Chennai, 6thMay 2012: Over 300 people from different… more »

Protest Against the Killing of Richard Loitam

Justice for Richard Loitam, Protest Rally Held at Chennai : Click on the image view the gallery

Chennai, 6thMay 2012: Over 300 people from different walks of life and many organizations today came out to protest at Besant Nagar, Chennai, against the brutal murder of Richard Loitam. The protestors together demanded that it is high time the Karnataka Government bring out the culprits and justice be brought to the grieving family as well as to the society. It has also called upon the Karnataka government to take action against the Acharya NRV school of Architecture management for their negligence, false accusation and the cover-up in the death of Richard Loitam.

The gathering stood in silence and prayed for two minutes for the departed soul. Slogans were shouted, banners and placards were held by the participants

 

Many people demanded swift action against the heinous murder. Below comments are from some of our speakers:-

 

Sarungbam Bonny (Student)- It says India is the biggest democratic country. But here, it is suppressing the minorities, hiding the truth, discrimination and so on. Is it not sowing seeds for unwanted tyranny? Are we living in a democratic country or some Facist country?”

 

Dilbir Soram (Associate Engineer, Caterpillar) – “Almost one month has passed but the college is still hiding the merciless murder. What is the college upto? Are they fearing reputatiuon loss?”

 

Vicky (Senior Software Engineer, TCS) – “ We beared the freedom struggle together believing we are brothers & sisters. But why such an act of injustice? We demand justice and only justice”

Seema Shijagurumayum (Product Manager, Redington India Ltd)– “This collective voice will not die down till the justice is granted. We are here as a human being feeling for another human being. Why can’t the college authorities do the same? ”

 

 Raviratan (Team Leader, Taj Club House)– We need a fair justice. We are all Indians. Please treat us as one.

Tai-Niyu (Student, Apollo Engineering College))- “We are often bullied as Chinky.  If we are not safe in our own country, where are we safe?

Richard Loitam was a 19 year old student from Manipur, who was a Architecture student (1st Year) at Archarya NRV School of Architecture, Bangalore. On the afternoon of 18th April, 2012 .Richard was found dead on his hostel room bed in a pool of blood with multiple injuries to his body and bleeding from his eyes, nose, mouth and ears. The signs on his body, which can still be seen in photographs, bear clear and distinctive signs which could have come only from being assaulted and battered. However, many conflicting reasons have been assigned as the cause of his death even before the details of the post mortem are made available, which raises concern and worry that certain vested interest individuals might not want the exact cause of death to come out and are trying to cover up the whole issue. Richard’s parents who are devastated by the irreplaceable loss are convinced that their son died of campus violence as there are indications and witness accounts of Richard having an altercation with other students on the evening of 17th April, the night before his death. Accordingly, they approached the authorities of the Institute to carry out a thorough, fair and transparent investigation so that justice is done and the culprits, if any, are brought to book. Even after the passage of reasonable time, the authorities of Acharya NRV School of Architecture, Bangalore did nothing of significance, thereby prompting the parents of Richard to approach the police for help. The local police have not done a proper investigation into the matter, nor has the college authorities co-operated with the investigation thereby giving a sense of frustration and restlessness to the family and near ones of Richard.

 

The protest campaign was organized by volunteers of Justice for Loitam Richard Group Chennai.

 * Photo Courtesy: Premjit Ningthouja

* The Press Release is sent to KanglaOnline by Roger A. He can be reached at dickysolo{@}gmail{dot}com

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/05/justice-for-richard-loitam-protest-at-chennai-india/

Manipur`s Time: Our turn to catch

By Amar Yumnam Time is of the essence. This is more so in in the… more »

By Amar Yumnam
Time is of the essence. This is more so in in the case of development trajectory of a society. A society does not enjoy opportunities (economists call them shocks) all the time and in every phase. These do not come plenty but only rarely do they present themselves. In most of the instances, they present themselves in a very covert way, and the people really have to work hard to explore the shocks and use them for societal progression. Sometimes, absolutely sometimes, they do come in a very open framework. The fact of development, however, remains that the shocks themselves do not cause it; it is only conversions of the shocks into real phenomena for advancement that would lead to development of land and people.  It is here that self becomes much more significant than others in pushing ahead in the race for transformation. I feel strongly that Manipur is now standing at that very moment of shock which we could convert into an opportunity for moving forward.

The Shocks:

I have two shocks in mind as very critical to Manipur’s moment of history.

One is the unfortunate death of Richard Loitam. Though he is no more with us, the fall-out of his death has certainly caused a shock which could serve the cause of Manipur in a very lasting way. He definitely must be a boy who had Manipur in his mind and heart so closely that even his death has played such a wonderful role to shake up the Indian psyche as never before. The moves of the people of Manipur from all over have helped in making the shock of his death to bring Manipur to centre of Indian attention.  Vir Sanghvi writes in the Hindustan Times thus: “The days when north-easterners were seen as foreigners or as exotic people are now over. In many sectors – hospitality, beauty, etc. – north-easterners are the employees of choice. Ask any beauty salon who it would hire, all other things being equal, between an Andhraite and a Manipuri, and the chances are that nine times out of ten, the Manipuri will be preferred. So it is with restaurants and airlines. Most employers will take someone from the north-east over somebody from, say, Bihar.” The death of our boy has even caused addition of a phrase in the Indian lexicon of social concepts. Indrajit Hazra has coined a term called Loitam’s Law, following the surname of Richard: “So, if you`re unlucky enough to be a victim of murder, violence, rape or general thievery, ensure that you`re well-to-do. If you can`t be well-to-do, try and be visible enough for the mainstream polity and media to ensure you get attention. That`s Loitam`s Law.” Hazra continues: “The truth is that the law is like a busted radiator that sometimes works, sometimes doesn`t. But it also specifically comes in the way or turns its back with certain `kinds` of people…….The fact that the authorities initially suspected death caused by drug overdose was one sign that regional-racial stereotypes were at play. `North-east boys take drugs; North-eastern girls are loose,` is a standard `Indian` trope. The initial autopsy found no traces of any drug in Richard`s bloodstream except for small doses of the painkiller he had been prescribed after his accident……The truth is that the law is like a busted radiator that sometimes works, sometimes doesn`t. But it also specifically comes in the way or turns its back with certain `kinds` of people….The case of Richard Loitam is the story of a bias embedded in an existing creaky law enforcement structure. Richard may have indeed died because of injuries received by his scooter accident. He may have succumbed to injuries after a hostel brawl. But the inaction of the authorities point to something else: the lack of importance given by them to certain `types` of people. Law-enforcers pre-suppose certain traits about the victims – whether it`s regarding Aarushi Talwar`s `character` or Hemraj`s `background` or Richard Loitam`s `ethnicity`.” Any death has not caused the purpose of causing social rethink among the Indians like the lost of life of our boy in Bangalore. It is so wonderful of Richard that his leaving this world has also served the cause of putting Manipur in the centre of Indian attention; he has shaken right from the microfoundations to the macro structure. But the moment is for us to catch for causing long term policies to emerge for our land to move ahead faster.

The second shock I have in mind is of the global changes around us. It was only in October 2010 that the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) brought forward their Comprehensive Asia Development Plan wherein they had defined East Asia as including South Asia as well. In this document, they had identified projects for further enhancing the development of East Asia for regions even in Southern India. It was in the middle of 2011 that the core experts who had prepared the plan were here in Imphal for discussions on the missing component of their plan. We did have a thorough discussion on the core development issues of Manipur in particular and North East in general. Now the ASEAN has come out with a second component of the Comprehensive Asia Development Plan by incorporating the projects for linking Manipur and North East in the whole connectivity framework. One of the key experts was here recently along with other experts from the neighbouring South East Asian nations. We did have long discussions on further strategies for taking Manipur along in the development designs of South East and East Asia. Now it is pretty clear that the countries in the South East and East Asia are pushing hard for their global agenda, whether India and Manipur prepare for it or not.

 

One of the Justice for Richard Loitam, Protest Rally Held at Chennai which is held over the various parts of the globe.

Catch the Moment:

The above two shocks have thrown up a moment for Manipur to catch and catch for causing a sustainable development happen. The globalisation and development plans of the South East and East Asian nations are going to touch us. We cannot afford to be just plain spectators unless we are prepared to perish as society and community. The emerging connectivity frameworks and comprehensive development plans need to be supplemented by our own connectivity framework and comprehensive development plans in order that we have genuine development happening here. It is exactly at this moment that we should utilise the shock of Richard Loitam serve the ultimate cause of development plans for the land and people here to emerge. The government of Manipur should now push for evolving a comprehensive development plan and ensure that proper funding is affected for these. The moment is for the people and government to catch and move beyond the mind-set of petty contractors.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/05/manipurs-time-our-turn-to-catch/

Justice for Richard Loitam candle light vigil at New Delhi – MSAD

Press Release New Delhi   The Manipur Students’ Association Delhi (MSAD) had organised a demonstration… more »

Press Release

New Delhi

 

The Manipur Students’ Association Delhi (MSAD) had organised a demonstration and a candle light vigil on 29 April 2012 to condole the untimely lost of Richard Loitam and to protest his murder on 17th April by his hostel mates and the denial of justice. MSAD had held institutionalised racism by established institutions including the law enforcing agents as the gravest threat to the security of racial minorities and a big challenge to humanity and justice in India.

 

The demonstration at Jantar Mantar from 2.00 to 5.30 pm., that began with two minutes silent condolence was attended by above 300 persons including the representatives of Arunachal Students’ Union Delhi, BJP (Northeast Cell), Aavam (Delhi), Campaign for Peace & Democracy (Manipur), Delhi A’chik Youth Association (Meghalaya), Delhi Association for Manipuri Muslim Students, MSAD, Manipur Women Gun Survivor Network, Naga Students’ Union Delhi, Northeast Helpline Centre, Zakir Hussain College Students’ Union, Zillai (Mizo), and others. The candle light vigil at India Gate, 6 to 8 pm was attended by more than 700 persons.

 

All those who had attended the programmes had condemned the crime and expressed their concern for the aggrieved family of Richard. A memorandum endorsed by all and addressed to the Prime Minister of India (copied to Union Home Minister, Chief Ministers of Karnataka and Manipur) had raised the following demands:

  • To set up a special investigation team to transparently investigate into the case and those held guilty be booked immediately.
  • The Acharya NAV School of Architecture and the officials be booked and punished according to the law for the negligence towards Richard, tampering of evidences, hindering and for impending the case.
  • To take up immediate and adequate initiatives to ensure security of the emigrant workers (employees), job seekers and students from the Northeast who are vulnerable and exposed to all forms of racial discrimination and attack in the mainland metropolitan cities and institutional establishments.
  • The case should be converted to a homicidal case as the preliminary post mortem report shows proofs of severe physical assault and internal injury which is the cause of death.
  • Investigations should be swift and thorough.

 

MSAD had called upon the people cutting across community, territorial, and political boundaries to collectively fight for justice and against institutionalised racism in India.

 

 

Sd/-

Md. Shafikul Haque

President, MSAD

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/05/justice-for-richard-loitam-candle-light-vigil-at-new-delhi-msad/

AMSGO expresses distress over alleged Richard murder

IMPHAL, May 3: The All Manipur Students Guardians’ Organization (AMSGO) today expressed grief over the… more »

IMPHAL, May 3: The All Manipur Students Guardians’ Organization (AMSGO) today expressed grief over the alleged murder of Loitam Richard, an 18-year-old student of Archarya NRV School of Architecture, Bangalore.

AMSGO said in statement that the culprits involved in the alleged killing of Richard should be punished under law so that such unfortunate incident may not recur to those Manipuri students in other states of India.

It also urged upon both the Karnataka and Manipur governments to deliver justice to the alleged murder case of Richard. The organization also said it shares the grief of the bereaved family and prays to the God to let his soul rest in peace.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/05/amsgo-expresses-distress-over-alleged-richard-murder/

Just above 8000 signatures required for the Justice for Richard Loitam Petition – Show your support with Pride

A facebook group related to Justice For Richard has 183,000 members, and growing everyday. Why… more »

Initiate an impartial, thorough enquiry, and impart justice to Loitam Richard and his family. Pic: Screengrab

A facebook group related to Justice For Richard has 183,000 members, and growing everyday. Why this petition which requires 20,000 signatures hasn’t got it’s signatories yet?

Just above 8000 signatures required for the Petition at Change.org .

Sign the Justice for Richard Loitam Petition at Change.org 

 

About the petition: 

On the 18th April 2012, Loitam Richard, a 19 years old architecture student was found dead lying in a pool of blood in his hostel room. Police investigation and witness have revealed that he was assaulted the day before in his hostel and died sometime during the night.

Archarya NRV school of Architecture, Bangalore, the investigating police team and some news daily have blamed the death possibly due to a minor road traffic accident he met few days ago and drug abuse.

However, his parents believe he was severely assaulted and died sometime soon without anyone coming to his help. Initial post-mortem have revealed that he had sustained head injury with bleeding in his brain and several other injuries in his body including wounds which we believe are defensive in nature.

Many days have passed, and no one has been arrested or held accountable for the unfortunate incident and questionable events that followed after.

According to his parents, Richard was the best son they could wish for, who was very strong academically and in sports. They strongly deny the story of linking drug abuse to the death of their well-mannered son and believe it is an attempt to malign and defame their loving son and the tragic incident.

Please join us in demanding a fair and thorough investigation, including looking for possible aggravating factors as deserved by any other citizen of India and give justice to Loitam Richard and his bereaved family.

Source: Change.org

 

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/05/just-above-8000-signatures-required-for-the-justice-for-richard-loitam-petition-show-your-support-with-pride/

Justice for Loitam Richard Campaign – Hyderabad – PR

The nation-wide campaign for justice for Loitam Richard, a nineteen years old Architectural Engineering student… more »

Justice for Loitam Richard Campaign – Hyderabad – PR

The nation-wide campaign for justice for Loitam Richard, a nineteen years old Architectural Engineering student at Acharya NRV Engineering College, Bangalore, who was beaten to death by his hostel mates, was held in different parts of India. As a part of this nation-wide campaign, Hyderabad Manipuri Society (HYMS), in association with the Students Union of University of Hyderabad and Manipuri students held a protest cum condolence meeting at the university campus today i.e. 29th April, 2012. The campaign was attended by more than one hundred and fifty persons from different walks of life, from different region and states. The event, created by HYMS, demands an immediate action from Karnataka police and government.

More photos are at: http://gallery.kanglaonline.com/?p=1193

The event for Loitam Richard had silent protest-rally and observed two minutes silence for the departed soul. Amidst candles and slogans, people gathered for the event condemns the homicide and demanded that justice be brought. One of the speakers, Rajeev Rahi, a Ph.D student of Hindi literature, questions the system and how this system for its own existence has killed so many people particularly from the minority sections. He calls Indian Democracy a pseudo and we have people have to fight against such a hegemonic and oppressive system. Another speaker, Phani also echoing Rajeev’s point maintains how institutional system is killing instead of grooming them for the future. He also referred to Dona Silva Sangma, the girl from Meghalaya who committed suicide allegedly after she was caught using unfair means; he also referred to Irom Sharmila to bring out how minority are treated in this country which is supposedly the largest democracy in the world. Zameer, another Ph.D Scholar and Manjoy Lourembam who represented HYMS also spoke on the occasion.

Few of the media houses which came to cover the event took interviews of people gathered. Thongam Bipin, a Ph.D student in University and also the Cultural coordinator of HYMS points out the possibility of racial discrimination and abuses. He also condemns the insensitivity of college administration and Karnataka police. They should be held responsible.

In this regard, HYMS stands for justice for Loitam Richard and his family. It believes that Richard could be anybody and it could happen to anybody. Though the issue has a possible tinge of racial discrimination, HYMS would choose to remain mum for the moment. We will wait for the findings because we believe that the police and other higher authorities can no longer remain silent. At this hour, HYMS condemns Richard’s killing in the strongest possible terms and extends our support. Richard’s case is a reminiscence of nth number of such killings. We demand an end to this and justice be brought and the case should be handed over to CBI.

Sd/
Maibam Hitler
Chief Cordinator
Hyderabad Manipuri Society (HYMS)

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/04/justice-for-loitam-richard-campaign-hyderabad-pr/