Manipur: ‘Human Rights Abuses Rampant After Ethnic Conflict’

In its Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, the US State Department said on Monday, 22 April, that there were significant human rights abuses in Manipur after the outbreak of ethnic conflict.

This latest development was reported in the State Department’s annual report, which is mandated by the US Congress.

Previously, India has criticised the US for releasing reports on human rights and religious freedoms based on “misinformation and flawed understanding.”

Last year, the Ministry of External Affairs had said that motivated and biased commentary by some US officials only serves to undermine further the credibility of these reports. The US State Department report mentions the ethnic violence in Manipur. The State Department says, “The outbreak of ethnic conflict between the Kuki and Meitei ethnic groups during the year in India’s northeastern state of Manipur resulted in significant human rights abuses. Media reported at least 175 persons were killed and more than 60,000 displaced between May 3 and November 15.”

Journalists and activists reported rapes, armed conflict and assaults in addition to the destruction of homes, businesses and places of worship.

Earlier, India has said that interference in the country’s internal affairs reflects a colonial mindset and is unacceptable.

In response to media queries on the European Parliament discussing developments in Manipur last year, the Ministry of External Affairs had said, “Indian authorities at all levels, including the judiciary, are seized of the situation in Manipur and are taking steps to maintain peace and harmony and law and order.”

The report said that minority political parties, local human rights organisations and affected communities criticised the national government for the delayed action to stop the violence and provide humanitarian assistance.

On 4 September, UN experts urged the government to provide timely action to investigate acts of violence, step up relief efforts, hold perpetrators accountable and foster a process of reconciliation between the Kuki, Meitei and other impacted communities.

With reference to the tax raid on offices of the BBC, the report said that although tax authorities described the search as motivated by irregularities in the BBC’s ownership structure and tax payments, officials also searched and seized equipment from journalists who were not involved in the financial processes of the organisation.

There were multiple reports of human rights activists and journalists being investigated in J&K, with atleast 35 journalists facing raids, police interrogations, assaults, fabricated cases and restrictions on movement since 2019, the report said.

The report — which was released by Secretary of State Anthony Blinken — mentions some of the positive developments on the issue of human rights and freedom of expression and gathering in the year 2023, the duration of the report.

Last year, in July, the government permitted a march is Srinagar, which is the main city of Kashmir. The march allowed Shia Muslims to mark the religious Muharram event. This procession represented the first government-sanctioned recognition of the event since it was banned in Srinagar in 1989.

The report further said that the government imposed some restrictions on the display of logos of any banned organisations or the use of slogans.