PANJIM: Women’s rights groups, human rights groups, and concerned citizens of Goa have written to the the Prime Minister of India, the Union Home Minister and the Chief Minister of Manipur, protesting against the gender-based violence experienced by all women in the north-eastern State and demanded justice for the victims.
“We also register our protest against the visible inaction or delay in action by the State,” they wrote.
“We note with anguish that the age-old practice of men attacking women of the opposing community to settle scores continues to remain the main weapon that men-folk in our patriarchal society take recourse to each time disputes arise between people,” the letter stated.
“It is also deeply disturbing that despite being aware that such incidents show a recurring pattern in our country the State has simply failed to intervene and protect the women of Manipur,” the civil society groups said.
“We hold you accountable, Prime Minister of India, Home Minister of India and Chief Minister of Manipur, for inaction against gender-based violence in the conflict situation, and an unwritten impunity given to perpetrators of sexual violence, for the delayed action by the police in the cases of the stripping, parading and sexual violence, for the attempt to suppress voices of concern and fact-finding reports,” they said.
