IMPHAL, Aug 17 ? Student leader Pebam Chittaranjan who died of burns on Monday after setting himself ablaze in protest against the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, alleged in a letter puportedly written by him that the people of Manipur were living under ?colonial rule?.
In the letter, written on Friday and released to the local press by some of his friends on Monday, he claimed that neither the state government nor the Centre was bothered to protect human rights in Manipur. Chittaranjan alleged that the people of the state had been suffering for years due to ?torture, excesses and atrocities? committed on them by the Central security forces under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act.
The letter alleged that innocent persons had been killed in the name of tracking down insurgents by Central paramilitary forces with the latest victim being Th. Manorama and pastor Jamkholet Khongsai. Chittaranjan said he was taking his life to show to the world that ?human rights violations? were committed in the name of protecting democracy in the state and prayed to his parents, family and friends to pardon him. The letter, written on Patriots? Day on August 13, also mentioned the problems faced by the state and ?the great reluctance? of its leaders to tackle any major issue effectively.