Rebirth of Manipur Human Rights Commission
- A feat of BJP Government of Manipur -

Seram Neken *

There are hordes of examples in which MLAs of particular constituencies are very partial in giving government benefits entitled to its citizens taking into consideration their voting preferences. It is clear violation of Human Rights. I am very critical of the situation that MLAs cannot switch off their Election Mode during their long tenure for five years.

Even though it is too early to present a report card on the achievements of the present coalition government led by BJP in Manipur as the government is in its infancy stage with its hardly twenty months old tenure, I feel it would be injustice for me as a writer to applaud the Government led by the Chief Minister Shri N. Biren Singh for his initiative to revive the long defunct Human Rights Commission in the state.

Importance of Human Rights and its protection has been felt all over the marginalized nations and peoples across the globe since the so-called civilization in the form of democracy came into being. But its protection is a very challenging task facing every government, particularly in those states infested with conflicts of all kinds.

Everyone knows, Manipur has been a zone of conflicts related to insurgency, separatism, revolutionary movements, even terrorism and so forth because of the fact that it was once an independent country before its alleged forcible annexation by India.

Undoubtedly History remains testimony to the fact that Manipur as an independent kingdom came under the British India rule from 27th April 1891 due to many a historical blunders necessitated by circumstances of those days.

Without dwelling much on the then prevailing political realities where our forefather rulers had to seek British intervention to save the sovereignty of Manipur from neighboring states like Burma and also to maintain ethnic integration among a hordes of communities within the so called Manipur Nation, it is clear that British Empire intervened in the affairs of Manipur kingdom, and finally occupied it as one of its colonies after the Anglo Manipuri war of 1891.

Although History is considered a lesson for the posterity, I as a humble and innocent writer, am in a state of confusion now that many Manipuris including prominent ones wanted to remain the Indian Political system and to follow the democratic principles initiated by the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi.

However, around two decades later, enlightened and ignited youths of Manipur mooted the idea of separating from Indian Union, as the rightful claims of the people who were once an independent kingdom were not met under the Indian hegemony.

Subsequently, the underground revolutionary movement was born in Manipur. Conflict between state and non-state actors cropped up and questions of human rights violations arose in rampant proportion.

The most draconian and notorious Armed Forces Special Powers Act raised its ugly heads, thereby giving every room for violation of right to life of a number of innocent as well as agitated youths. Innumerable numbers of fake encounter cases perpetrated by the security agencies were the direct result of this draconian act in the name of conflict.

As the saying “God sees the truth, but waits” is really true, now each and every design of the security forces have been unfolded day by day. Fake encounters in the name of AFSPA, Fake encounters for service promotion and gallantry awards – amazing indeed that lives of innocents are compromised for a cheap gallantry award.

Now, the Human Rights protection as far as the Right to Life of Manipuris is concerned, people in general have almost been aware and active. But, how about the human rights of those distressed, poor, neglected, unattended and helpless thousands and thousands of Manipuris ?

Human Right in general context connotes not only the killings, kidnappings, tortures and violence perpetrated by both state and non-state actors. It denotes all the rights being entitled to a human being for his /her being born as a human. It has a wide coverage ranging from right to have the required meals as a human being, right to get education as a human being, right to express opinions and views as a human being, right to give feedback to the government policies and programmes, right to free movement, free speech, and criticism under the prevailing law.

To neglect a child in getting education is violation of human rights, to keep a child in hunger in violation of human right, to stop supply of essential commodities to a citizen by the government is violation of human rights, non-supply of fertilizers to a farmer by the concerned department as per established government rules is a violation of human tights, not controlling qualities of public properties by the concerned department is a violation of human rights etc. etc.

Every citizen has its own right as a human being guaranteed by the Constitution. There is no notion that human right is only concerned with police or security forces. It is concerned with each and every government or private agency working for the welfare of the people under the Constitution of India.

When the government department neglects its beneficiaries in one or the other way, it amounts to violation of human rights. Human rights are inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because he or she is a human being.

Besides applauding the Chief Minister of Manipur for his strong commitment and interest in defending human rights of the state’s people by reconstituting the long defunct Human Right Commission by inducting a senior, most deserving and experienced Rights Defender Advocate Khaidem Mani as a Member of the Commission, I firmly believe that the People of Manipur will get its due rights which have long been neglected in Manipur.

Side by side, the Manipur State Information Commission which was to be activated under the Right to Information Act 2005 may also be revived at the earliest possible to ensure good and transparent governance in Manipur.

I believe that competent and experienced people from various fields like lawyers, journalists, administrators and police officers with integrity and a cleaned service career with ample experience may be inducted in the composition of the Information Commission.

Lastly, the twin Commissions – the Human Rights Commission, and the State Information Commission, if revived and activated, will be a major achievements of the incumbent Government and an appreciable accomplishment for the Chief Minister of Manipur Shri N. Biren Singh.