By K. Sarojkumar Sharma

Of all the human rights violations, the cruelest must be the pain and grief inflicted on the families of the 'disappeared'. You cannot just wish away the pain and grief. At least, I am fully convinced of this after visiting some of these families of the disappeared in Imphal to do this report.

On 23 September 1980, some army personnel came and took her son away. On the second day of the arrest, she learnt that her son is in the custody of the dreaded Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Rifles at Kangla fort. Early morning, she packed some bread and sweetmeats for her son and went to Kangla along with some women from the locality. At the gate, she asked permission to see her son, but the sentry refused. She pleaded with the sentry to at least allow her to leave the eatables for her son. But the sentry shooed her away and she came home dejected.

After all these years, Ms. Thokchom Ibemcha Devi still remembers that particular incident. She knew then, her son was in there, afraid and hungry. They lied to her. And she hated the army for it.

She ran from pillar to post and pleaded with politicians and government officials to help locate the whereabouts of her son. She implored the public to help fight for her son and they did. They had defied the authorities with protest rallies and blocked the roads. The army authorities did not even bat an eyelid.

She then moved the courts. It was a long and arduous journey through the courts and in 1991, the Supreme Court finally awarded her some interim relief. But, not a word of her son, Lokendro. She asked for her son and they are talking about relief and compensation.

What about the truth of her son's disappearance? What really happened to him ? If he had died in army custody, where are his remains ? What about prosecution of the guilty personnel and what about a piece of bone ? She had so many questions, but nobody to answer her. She has grown old and tired. The last rites were performed only a few years back, to console herself. She thought, it had to end somewhere, sometime. But, the memories keep coming back.

Kangujam Loken of Khongman Makha was another youth arrested by the army on 28 September 1980, who also 'disappeared' from their custody. Kangujam Ranjit, the brother of Loken, remembers the years of frustration and helplessness with tears.

Mr. Ranjit lamented on the general lack of awareness among the public as to their rights, in those early days of army operations. He said, they had no one to look up to for guidance and legal advice, no human rights activists or groups to take up their case. People were simply afraid of the army and most of the avenues of legal redress was beyond reach for simple folks like them.

Two decades have gone by, since the disappearance of his brother Loken and Lokendro of the nearby locality Khongman. His mother Thoibi Devi had died of grief, a few years back. Now, it is his responsibility to seek the truth. He has started organising other families of the 'disappeared' in Manipur. Mr. Ranjit feels, he must not disappoint his mother.

It was as if she was trying to seek communion with the son she lost. Mrs. Chingkhobung seldom takes away her eyes from the faded black & white photograph of her son Kaizalal. Beneath the photograph, it is written - 'You are gone from us, but in memory we are always together'.

'Ever since Kaizalal's disappearance she has been like that,' her other son says. As he recounted the fruitless search of his brother and the horrifying experience they have gone through, she sat quietly gazing at his photograph.

Suddenly, she burst out in anger - ' There is no rule in the army. They are demons, soul snatchers.' She will never forgive them for the lies, the things they said about her son.

M. Kaizalal Paite, a signal operator of the 20 Battalion of Assam Rifles 'disappeared' from his unit headquarters at Somsai, Ukhrul District. was last seen on September 25, 1994. After initial attempts to trace him failed, his mother Chingkhobung filed a Habeas Corpus {Civil Rule (HC) No. 49 of 1996} before the Imphal bench of Gauhati High Court.

The Court in its verdict of December 10, 1997 directed the respondents to pay a sum of Rs. 2,50,000 as interim relief. The family had on 19 December 1998 erected a memorial stone of Kaizalal 'presumed dead' at Chingmeirong.

Laishram Babuchand does not stay at his home, anymore. He stays alone in Langol Hills, where his son Bijoykumar had developed a horticulture farm before his 'disappearance'. Babuchand says, 'By working in the little farm, I could bear the pangs of separation.'

His son, Bijoykumar was picked up by some armed Hindi speaking personnel from his Thangmeiband Hijam Leikai house in the intervening night of June 4 and 5, 1996. And he disappeared without a trace.

It has been a frustrating experience for the family. His captors came in 'mufti', no identities or unit insignia were revealed at the time of arrest, no arrest memo was issued. And to sum up, the usual 'denial' parade from the different security forces operating in the state.

A former student activist, Bijoykumar was noted for his social work in the locality and talent in sports. He was also the major bread earner of the family and his parents had pinned their hope on him. Now, his mother is trying to make ends meet by running a small roadside restaurant with her surviving son.

Although they have many reasons to believe on his possible death, the entire family is united on one resolve. Until and unless they know the truth, they are not going to perform the last rites. And suffer they shall, for the truth.

Their first question was, 'Yes, what about Boyai ? Do you have some information about him ?' It was only weeks after the actual arrest and 'disappearance' of Boyai in distant Jiribam that the news reached the family. Since then, they have been asking around and fishing for any 'fresh' evidence.

Kundrakpam Boyai alias Yaima, aged 23, son of was from Kwakeithel Akham Leikai, Imphal. He was picked up by the personnel of 317 Field Regiment of Indian army at Jiribam along with a local boy, one Churchill, in the wee hours of 25 September 1998.

The local boy was subsequently released. He informed the local Meira Paibis that, another youth from Kwakeithel area of Imphal who said his name was Boyai was also arrested. When Meira Paibis went to the army camp and inquired about the other boy, they denied arresting anyone other than Mr. Churchill.

These information reached the family only in snippets. The father Kh. Gojendro had sought the help of the Gauhati High Court and it has ordered an inquiry.

Mr. Gojendro is willing to go through any pain, but not the sorrow of his son's disappearance. His wife Ibetombi Devi is having nervous breakdowns very often. Life has become a living hell for him.

Conclusion

In the case of killings, the bereaved families of the victims can at least show their last respects to their dear ones by performing the last rites and at least console themselves. But, not so in the case of the families of the 'disappeared'. Was it safe for them to conclude on possible death or should they go on praying for a miracle ? Should they perform the last rites or postpone it ? The dilemma, the grief and the frustration is theirs alone.