KOKRAJHAR: The Women Wing BPF, along with the Kokrajhar district committee of the party, took out a silent torch light rally in Kokrajhar town on Thursday evening demanding restoration of peace in Manipur.
The rally, which began from the party office, moved to DC office via busy Jwhwlao Dwimalu Road and submitted memorandum to the President of India through the District Commissioner, Kokrajhar demanding her intervention to bringing back peace and normalcy in Manipur. Former minister Pramila Rani Brahma and president of Kokrajhar district BPF, Derhasat Basumatary led the rally.
Talking to media persons, former cabinet minister and senior leader of BPF, Pramila Rani Nrahma said, “We are distressed by the reports of heinous acts of rape perpetrated against innocent civilians amidst this volatile situation.” She said the ethnic conflicts have caused untold suffering, loss of lives, and severe human rights violations, including the horrifying incidents of rape and sexual assault against women, which are being reported with alarming frequency. The victims of these horrendous crimes are left traumatized, their lives shattered, and their dignity brutally violated, she said, adding, “As an organization committed to upholding justice, human rights, and the principles of our great nation, we firmly believe that every individual deserves safety, security, and protection from such atrocities. We are deeply concerned about the plight of the rape victims and the innocent civilians who are suffering under the unrelenting waves of violence in Manipur in light of these distressing events.”
In the memorandum, the BPF Women Wing demanded to ensure justice for the rape victims and expedite the legal processes to ensure swift and fair trials for those responsible for the rape and sexual assault of innocent women, to strengthen law enforcement and to direct the relevant law enforcement agencies to intensify their efforts in maintaining law and order in Manipur by deploying adequate personnel, enhancing intelligence gathering, and actively patrolling the vulnerable areas to prevent further violence and protect civilians and facilitate a comprehensive dialogue between the warring factions to find a peaceful and amicable resolution to the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur and encourage open communication and negotiations to address the underlying issues fuelling the violence.
The BPF Women Wing also demanded support to allocate resources to establish rehabilitation centres and support programmes for survivors of sexual violence and other victims of the conflict. Additionally, initiate awareness campaigns to educate communities about gender equality, women’s rights, and the consequences of violence, engage with civil society and local leaders on the ground to address the challenges faced by the affected communities which their insights and efforts can significantly contribute to finding sustainable solutions. The BPF said the decisive action and leadership of the President of India will not only bring justice to the victims but also reaffirm India’s commitment to upholding human rights and the rule of law. Before the start of the rally, the leaders and supporters of BPF paid floral tribute to those who have lost their lives in the conflict.
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