MHRC seeks status report on violence
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 09 2023:
The Manipur Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has asked the Chief Secretary to send one Senior Law Officer of the State along with a status report of the situation in Manipur before the Commission on June 14 .
It may be mentioned that the secretary of All India Lawyers Union (AILU), Manipur State Committee Salam Pari Luwang, had in the initial stage of the violence, filed an instant complaint to MHRC with a prayer to inquire violation of human rights and the failure of the State Government to prevent the violence in Manipur.
The Chief Secretary is the respondent of the case.
The Commission said that they have taken judicial notice of various facts including the news items published in the various newspapers, as well as the press meet of Union Home Minister Amit Shah where so many decisions were announced to protect lives and properties of the citizens belonging to various communities amid the so-called ethnic violence.
Saying that these information, however, are not enough to decide the instant complaint case, the Commission said that they want to inquire about the subject matter of the complaint petition and also go for the cause of ethnic/land problem etc.
for which detailed investigation is needed.
"As per sub-section (b) Section 27 of the Protection of Human Rights Act 1993, the State Government is supposed to provide an investigating team for investigation and enquiry by this Commission relating to the incidents/matters of violation of human rights but the same has yet not been provided," MHRC said.
Saying that they are not in a position to discharge their duty, the Commission urged the Chief Secretary, as well as Commissioner-Cum-Secretary (Home) and Commissioner (Law), Government of Manipur to give effect to the provisions of Section 27 (b) of Protection of Human Rights Act 1993 immediately so that State Human Rights Commission can properly discharge its duties.
While listing the matter on June 14, the Commission asked the Chief Secretary and Home Secretary of Union of India to file their respective status reports.
There is no doubt that maintenance of the law and order is the subject matter of the State Government but after the imposition of Article 355, the Union of India is to look after the maintenance of law and order and protect the lives and properties of the people of the State, it added.