I am delighted to Know that the Wide Angle along with PVCHR & RCT is bringing out a Manual for Community Workers and Human Rights Defenders in Manipur, India Using Testimony as a Brief Therapy Intervention in Psychosocial Community Work for Survivors of Torture and Organized Violence.
I am convinced that such a manual will go a long way in mitigating Torture and organized violence in a State like Manipur which has been a conflict zone for nearly 50 years now, beginning from the days of Naga Insurgency under the leadership of the late Zapu Angami Phizo. The response of the Indian State to the challenge of Phizo has also been equally devastating- they introduced the draconian Armed Forces Special Powers (Assam-Manipur) Act 1958-parctically giving soldiers from the rank of havildars and above the right to shoot to kill with practically no questions asked.
50 years later the number of armed insurgent groups operating in the Northeast has risen from the one in 1958 to about 50 in 2008. The character of the armed struggle has also changed in the meantime from pure insurgency to quasi terrorism. In the midst of all these the plight of the people caught in the conflict zone began to increase many fold. Often the victims are left wondering as to whether the torture meted out to them is a fait accompli for which nothing could be done against.
By encouraging the victims to speak out not only verbally but through testimonies will go a long way in providing redressal to their grievances and also to influence the political process to take note and introduce due legislature to end such blatant violation of human rights and would also deter the non- state actors from indulging in such violation too.
I wish the Wide Angle, PVCHR & RCT all success in their future endeavors.
Yambem laba
Former Member
Manipur Human Rights Commission
