SAJC WELCOMES UN EXPERTS’ STATEMENT ON HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN MANIPUR
South Asia Justice Campaign welcomes the statement of 15 UN Experts expressing alarm at the continuing human rights abuses in Manipur state in northeastern India, and the “inadequate humanitarian response” by the government to end the community conflicts underway there. The UN experts expressed particular concern about gender-based violence targeting women and girls; the inflammatory online and offline rhetoric inciting the violence, and the use of counter-terrorism measures, among others, to legitimise violence and repress dissent, all directed at the predominantly Christian Kuki community and human rights defenders.
This follows on from remarks made by the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights on 24 May 2023 that “The recent violence in Manipur, Northeast India, revealed the underlying tensions between different ethnic and indigenous groups.” He urged the Indian authorities to “respond to the situation quickly, including by investigating and addressing root causes of the violence in line with their international human rights obligations” and has remarked that the situation in India calls for an urgent and immediate response from the international community.
Journalists, fact findings teams, and victim groups have reported extensively on the violence in Manipur since its start on 3rd May 2023 – in the face of reprisal from authorities. There is credible evidence showing targeted violence against the Kuki minority, resulting in sexual and gender-based violence, extra-judicial killings and torture, as well as largescale destruction of houses and properties, including churches across several districts.
There are also credible reports suggesting that these abuses have been perpetrated by members of extremist Metei organisations, the Meitei Leepun and Arambai Tenggol, and that in some instances they operated in collusion with Manipur Police personnel. Alarmingly, the Chief Minister of Manipur, Biren Singh, has contributed to and often led “anti-Kuki” rhetoric, terming them as foreigners, illegal immigrants and narco-terrorists.
It has been 4 months, yet the violence has not ended. The latest incident was reported on 31st August, with eight persons killed in renewed violence, leading to UN experts pointing to the inadequate response of the Indian authorities to provide relief, investigate acts of violence, hold perpetrators to account and stem the hate and violence.
The violence in Manipur is an indication of further violence against minorities in India if hate speech and anti-minority rhetoric remain unchecked and condoned by authorities, and if vigilante groups continue to carry out attacks with impunity. Recent incidents in other parts of the country – including the targeting of Muslim communities in Uttarakhand and Haryana, and extrajudicial killings and lynchings elsewhere – confirm the fears of anti-minority violence escalating nationwide. The UN experts in their recent statement also noted how events in Manipur were yet another manifestation of the steadily deteriorating situation for religious and ethnic minorities in India.
As India hosts world leaders at the G20 summit this September, we call on the government of India to take concrete measures to implement the recommendations voiced by UN experts, in particular through independent and effective investigations and prosecutions of perpetrators, including public officials. We also urge the government to honour their standing invitation to UN Special Procedures by allowing their visits to monitor and report on the human rights situation in the country.
While being hosted in India, member states of the G20 summit should take the opportunity to raise the concerning human rights situation with the Indian government, with an eye to preventing further escalation of violence in the lead-up to the next national elections in March 2024, in Manipur and in the rest of India.