Civil leaders' arrest protested at Delhi

New Delhi, September 25 : Showing their solidarity and support to the people of Manipur in their demand for justice, civil society groups, social activists and other eminent individuals staged a protest demonstration in front of Manipur Bhavan here today.

In the wake of the arrest of environmentalist Jiten Yumnam, who was allegedly tortured by the state police, the demonstrators demanded immediate and unconditional release of all social activists arrested along with him.

Civil society members and human right activists staging a protest at Manipur Bhavan, New Delhi

They also demanded befitting punishment of all police personnel who were responsible for the BT Road killings as well as scrapping of AFSPA.

A memorandum addressed to Chief Minister Okram Ibobi was also submitted to Resident Commissioner Shambhu Singh.

The same memorandum would be sent to the Prime Minister with endorsement from civil organisations and other eminent individuals in the day.

The organisations that took part in the demonstration today included National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM), National Forum of Forest People and Forest Workers (NFFPFW), All India Students Association (AISA), SAHELI, All India Progressive Women's Association, Peoples' Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR), Naga People's Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR), Campaign for Peace and Democracy (Manipur), People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) and Delhi Solidarity Group (DSG).

The memorandum signed by more than 30 organisations and several other eminent individuals from all over India was also sent to UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Home Minister P Chidambaram.

Referring to the July 23 Khwairamband killings, the memorandum observed that instead of responding to the democratic and legitimate demands of its people for justice and action against guilty police personnel, the State Government led by Okram Ibobi has replied with brute force and imposed curfew in the state, and tried to cover up the story in the State Legislative Assembly.

To the democratic protests of the people for resignation of Chief Minister Okram Ibobi and punishment of the guilty police personnel, the Government of Manipur responded with repressive measures like imposition of curfew, violent attacks on the protesters and the arrest of the civil society organisation leaders.

It cited the arrest of several members of the Apunba Lup, the All Manipur United Clubs' Organisation (AMUCO) and environmental activist Jiten Yumnam who has been allegedly subjected to third degree torture in police custody.

"The severity of the current crisis in Manipur can be judged by the fact that it is almost impossible to find legal assistance for those arrested in the state today.

The situation is absolutely unacceptable.

There is an urgent need to intervene against the undemocratic and autocratic nature of the Government in Manipur", it pointed out.

Monika’s B sample tests positive

New Delhi, March 28 : The B sample test of Manipuri weightlifter Monika Devi, who was stopped from participating in the Beijing Olympics last year on dope charges, has returned positive for a banned substance in a World Anti-Doping Agency-accredited laboratory in Tokyo.

Monika’s B sample was sent for testing to Tokyo by the sports ministry on the recommendation of T.S. Krishnamurthy Commission report which was set up to look into the doping episode.

The 28-year-old weightlifter’s dope test had an “adverse analytical finding” which cost her a chance to take part in the Beijing Olympics and sparked protests in her home state.

Under the normal procedure, any lifter who wants his or her B sample tested should bear the cost but in Monika’s case, the sports ministry footed the bill and a representative of the 69-kg lifter also travelled to Tokyo on government expense.

“The decision of the Sports Authority of India to stop her from going to Beijing was correct as Monika’s B sample test in the Tokyo laboratory has returned positive for a banned substance. Nobody is speaking about it now because a case is pending in Delhi High Court,” a source said.

IWF officials would not confirm the dope result as the matter is sub-judice. But it is learnt that the federation has received a letter from the National Dope Testing Laboratory in this regard.

Monika will now attract an automatic two-year ban from the IWF as this is her first dope offence and it will virtually rule her out of the 2010 Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games in Guangzhou in China next year.

The Manipuri lifter had filed a case before Delhi High Court to quash the dope result that had stopped her from going to Beijing on the ground that the authorities had not followed the Wada rules.