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February 1998
12
Around 12 midnight, a column of 17 Rashtriya Rifles arrest three boys
namely Y. Sanamacha, Inao and Bimol from Angtha village.
13
Protestors led by the local Pradhan and
Meira Paibis demand the release of the three boys at the gate of the 17 RR
post at about 1 am. Army handovers only Inao and Bimol to the Yairipok
Police Station.
Family of Sanamacha files a complaint at the Yairipok Police Station.
14
Protest rally by staff and students of
Ramananda High School, Angtha from Yairipok to the army camp which is
about 3 kms away.
About 1000 people gathered in front of the
Chief Minister(CM)'s residence at Imphal and a sit-in protest was held
from 3 pm till 10 pm to demand the safe release of Sanamacha.
The Angtha Meira Paibis and students of
Ramananda High School submit memorendum to the CM. The CM orders an
inquiry into the complaint to be conducted by the district Superintendant
of Police (SP).
A dead body suspected to be that of
Sanamacha spotted at Ngariyan Hill.
15
All Manipur Students' Union (AMSU) leaders
and JAC volunteers meet CM and demand Sanamacha's release.
SP, Thoubal submits his report to the CM
16
A search conducted at Ngariyan hill by a
police team led by OC Yairipok PS.
17
Protest rally taken from Ramananda High
School to 17 RR Camp Yairipok.
18
Widespread condemnation and appeals for
Sanamacha's safe release begin.
JAC organizes sit-in-protests near the
Johnstone Higher Secondary School with the help of Meira Paibis.
19
Army Deputy GOC Brigadier Rajinder visits
Sanamacha's house at Angtha and promises safe return of Sanamacha. He also
promises a Court of Inquiry into the incident.
20
AMSU calls for 2 day Class boycott.
22
12 hour Manipur bandh from 6 am to 6 pm.
23
AMSU launches statewide program for
sit-in-protests.
25
Army Staff Court of Inquiry begins.
28
A Meira Paibi leader Ima Kombi starts a
relay hunger strike.
March
1998
4
Police arrest the hunger strikers.
Assam Rifles tries to disperse protestors in
front of Johnstone School and fires blank rounds. In the commotion, 9
students were hospitalised.
.
Government closes all educational
institutions from March 4 to 12 March
6
The PRO of Chief Minister files a Habeas
Corpus. Gauhati High Court directs army authorities to produce
Yumlembam Sanamacha within 9 March.
7
Sanamacha's brother Y. Radheshyam files a Habeas
Corpus petition to the Gauhati
High Court.
9
Gauhati High Court orders District and
Session Judge, Manipur East to conduct an inquiry and submit its report by
March 20.
12
State Home Department institutes a
Commission of Inquiry led by a Retired Judge under the Commission of
Inquiry Act, 1952.
The judicial inquiry ordered by Gauhati High Court starts.
15
Police arrest relay hunger strikers near
Johnstone School.
16
Chief Minister informs Manipur Assembly
about the 3 inquiries on Sanamacha disappearance.
17
Meira Paibis of Yairipok area tried to
submit a memorandum to the Speaker of Manipur with a mass rally. 9 women
were hurt in the police lathicharge.
Various Meira Paibis begin sit-in-protests in their localities.
19
AMSU calls for boycott of all Central
Government offices.
20
Sit-in-protest by the women vendors of
Imphal Main Bazar.
22
AMSU pleads Sanamacha's case with the Union
Defence Minister.
25
Protesters burn down government offices and
vehicles.
April
1998
2
Manipur's representative W. Angou, MP moves
a call attention motion in the Indian Parliament on the Sanamacha
disappearance.
7
AMSU pleads with the Prime Minister on the
Sanamacha disappearance.
10
AMSU announces Communication blockade.
Police arrest student volunteers of fast-unto-death program.
14
Traders closed shops at Paona Bazar, Imphal.
15
Local dailies carry blank editorials in
protest.
17
Hearings begin at the state instituted
Inquiry Commission.
27
Sit-in-protest by Meira Paibis continue.
28
Class boycott in many educational
institutions.
7
A single bench of the Gauhati High Court
rejects the army plea against the inquiry commission instituted by the
state government.
11
President of AMSU arrested by police.
20
Sit-in-protest continue in different parts
of Manipur till 30 April.
May
1998
21
A double bench of Gauhati High Court stops
the proceedings of the inquiry commission instituted.
25
A meeting of several prominent Meira Paibis
organisations held at Singjamei.
June
1998
3
Meira Paibi organisations and JAC organized
mass rallies across the state.
6
AMSU bans all kinds of entertainment
programs, indefinitely.
June
1998
12
AMSU calls indefinite class boycott.
15
JAC files a complaint to the National Human
Rights Commission.
July
1998
1
Public curfew by AMSU.
15
3 students including a girl announces intent
to commit suicide.
23
.A division bench of Gauhati High Court orders judicial inquiry to be
conducted by the District and Session judge, Manipur East
28
A high level Army Court of Inquiry led by
the Eastern Army GOC visits Sanamacha's family.
August
1998
4
The principal bench of Gauhati High Court
orders the state Commission of Inquiry to proceed.
10
Commission of Inquiry started proceedings.
28
Commission of inquiry concludes hearing.
Sept.
1998
16
Cross-examination in judicial inquiry under
Gauhati High Court by army counsel started.
25
Inquiry report of the Sanamacha Inquiry
Commission submitted to the Government of Manipur. (The report is not
made public till date.)
29
A Human Rights activist from Manipur
addressed the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearnces
at the UN Committee for Human Rights, Geneva on the Sanamacha issue.
Feb.
1999
12
Human Rights activists, student activists,
Meira Paibis family members of other Ôdisappeared' victims, family and
friends of Sanamacha gathered at his alma
mater Ramanada High School in a
function organised by the JAC to mark the second year of Sanamacha's
disappearance. An Adhoc Committee
of the Family of the Involuntary Disappearances was
consituted on the occassion.
March
1999
1
Report of the Inquiry conducted by Mr. M.
Binoykumar, District and Session Judge (Imphal East) under the direction
of the Gauhati High Court, Imphal Bench submitted to the High Court. At
the end of his 61 pages report he concluded in the last paragraph (no. 44)
he concluded:
In the result, I conclude that the said Sanamacha Singh was apprenhended
by an Army column between 12th and 13th February, 1998 from his house at
Angtha Mayai Leikai and that he was taken to the Army camp at Yairipok
along with two other apprehendees,namely, Y. Inao Singh and Y. Bimol
Singh. The said Sanamacha Singh has neither been released nor handed
over to the police after the arrest. There is no sufficient evidence to
show that the said Sanamacha Singh was a member of UNLF at the relevant
time. There is no sufficient and reliable evidence to show that the said
Sanamacha Singh escaped from the custody of the Army at Angtha village.
There is also no sufficient ground for concluding that the Army
personnel had killed the said Sanamacha Singh and disposed of his dead
body somehow and somewhere.
With the above findings, I conclude my report. Despite my best efforts
due to one or another unavoidable reasons, I cannot submit my report in
time fixed by the Hon'ble High Court.
May
1999
12
Representatives of the Lawyers Committee on
Human Rights, a respected human rights group of US showed a short video
entitled Sanamacha's Story
produced by WITNESS, New York to the UN Working Group on Enforced and
Involuntary Disappearances at the UN Head Quarter at New York.
Feb.
2000
12
An exhibition of some 5,000 solidarity
greeting cards from UK, Canada, France, US, Netherland etc. sent to the
parents of Sanamacha was also opened to the Public. The Adhoc Committee of
the families of the disappeared was constituted into a permanent Committee
of the Families of the Disappeared (COFD).
*
The Joint Action Committee (Sanamcha Issue) Yairipok (refered to as the
JAC) is a Committee of representatives of voluntary organisations
committed to the cause of human rights of Yairipok area of Manipur.
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