Over 550 civil society groups, retired bureaucrats and police officers, activists, lawyers, filmmakers, journalists, academics and writers have now come together to issue a public statement, calling for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to break his silence over the unabated ethnic violence in Manipur, which has been under way for over a month now — killing at least 100 people, injuring hundreds more and internally displacing tens of thousands of people.
The signatories to the statement include Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Kumar Jha, two former IPS officers, a retired civil servant, and a plethora of civil society and human rights groups such as the People’s Union for Civil Liberties, Human Rights Forum, People’s Union for Democratic Rights, and several other farmers’, labourers’, workers’ and women’s rights groups.
The statement, issued on Friday, called for the PM to break his silence over the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur, and “take accountability” for the situation in the State currently. “Manipur is burning today in very large part due to the divisive politics played by the BJP and its Governments at the Centre and State. And on them lies the onus to stop this ongoing civil war before more lives are lost,” the statement said.
“Dehumanising rhetoric”
The group went on to say that radical Meitei outfits like Arambai Tenggol and Meitei Leepun were using dehumanising rhetoric against the tribal Kuki-Zomi people in this conflict — which is drawn from rhetoric furthered by the senior BJP leadership like Amit Shah and Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma during the Assam NRC exercise.
“Characteristic of its modus operandi across the country, the BJP is once again exacerbating the age-old ethnic tensions between communities for its own political gain. Pretending to be an ally to both the communities, it is only widening the chasm of historical tensions between them without any effort till date to facilitate a dialogue towards resolution,” the statement added.
Offering solidarity
Moreover, the activists and civil society groups sought a court-monitored probe to “establish facts, and prepare the ground for justice and healing of the gaping wound that separates communities of Manipur to mitigate the divisiveness and hatred being engineered”.
They also asked that a fast-track court be set up for all cases of sexual violence perpetrated on women in the ongoing conflict and provisions for relief and rehabilitation to all those affected by the violence.
“This process of return, rehabilitation and compensation should be overseen by a panel of retired judges who know the region closely, perhaps appointed by the High Court or Supreme Court,” the statement said.
The civil society groups added, “As we demand an immediate halt to this continuing orgy of violence, there is a need, as soon as the violence ceases, for independent, non-partisan civil society members to visit the survivors and the bereaved; make attempts to verify reports of killings and rapes; and offer solidarity and all possible support to those traumatised by the loss of loved ones, homes and churches.”
