IMPHAL, November 2: Even after 14 years, we continue to wait for justice, lamented a father of one of the 10 victims of the infamous Malom massacre today during a memorial service held to commemorate the day.<\/p>\n
The 14th anniversary of the Malom Massacre of November 2, 2000 was held today at site of the incident at Malom Makha Leikai roadside.<\/p>\n
Family members, friends and others offered floral tributes to a memorial stone erected near a bus stop at the site in memory of the victims who were waiting for a bus when they were gunned down by personnel of the 8th Assam Rifles in the aftermath of a bomb attack on their convoy.<\/p>\n
The incident gave birth to Irom Chanu Sharmila\u2019s indefinite fast demanding repeal of the dreaded Armed Forces (Special powers) Act, 1958 which has continued till today.<\/p>\n
It may be remembered that the victims of the incident are Leisangbam ongbi Ibetombi, 62; Gurumayum Bapu Sharma, 57; Oinam Sanatomba Singh, 50; Kangjam Bijoy alias Naouba, 35; Amakcham Raghumani, 34; Soibam Prakash, 25; Kshetrimayum Inaocha, 20; Tokpam Shantikumar, 19; Sinam Robin, 28 and 18-year-old Sinam Chandramani who was a National Child Bravery Award winner in 1988.<\/p>\n
Tokpam Somorendra Singh, father of victim Shantikumar said even though the State government has distributed ex-gratia acknowledging that they were innocent victims of the Armed Forces (Special powers) Act, 1958, the families are denied justice even 14 years after the massacre.<\/p>\n
Ex-gratias are not meant for the guilty, he added.<\/p>\n
Later in the evening at 5, candles were lit at the memorial site in remembrance of the victims.<\/p>\n\n