DRC Manipur Mission to Chandel 2015 Report

18th June, 2015

Chandel Mission 2015 Report
Report of the Preliminary Fact Finding and Needs Assessment, 13 June 2015
Disaster Relief Committee Manipur and Indian Red Cross Society, Manipur State Branch

From this preliminary visit to the incident area, several conclusions may be drawn.
1. The area where the ambush took place near Paraolon village and about nine other villages of the Sulam area are now in extreme isolation.
2. Paraolon Village was totally abandoned, not a soul remained out of the reported 30 odd households (64 households according to the 2011 Census of India report with a total population of about 310 persons). The villagers’ whereabouts are unknown.
3. No observations were made in Libung, Kotal Khunthak and Thungam villages.
4. There were no signs of forced entry and search in any of the houses we saw. All locks were intact.
5. All livestock including cats and dogs were abandoned.
6. No agricultural activity could be observed.
7. No public transport was observed during the entire journey.
8. No movement of civilian population observed either moving out and into the area.
9. No district administration presence in the area.
10. No local news media representatives had visited the area since 5 June 2015.
11. District administration and police sources in Chandel HQ and Tengnoupal had no information about the missing villagers or the prevailing situation in the area. No attempts were made for state government officials to visit the area since the operation commenced.
12. As far as we could observe, the district administration or any competent non-government organisation have not conducted any inquiry or assessment of needs of the local population and livestock – those few remaining and for the many families who have fled the villages, abandoning everything.
13. The soldiers of the 6 Dogra Regiment we met were not hostile to the mission; in fact, they were quite friendly and readily shared information. Most of the regiment’s personnel hail from the northern Indian states of Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu (J&K). A few are from Uttar Pradesh.
14. Local sources in Tamu could give no confirmatory information on the Special Forces operation having taken place along the Indo-Myanmar border area including in areas within Sagaing Division of Myanmar. Some gunshots were heard but no news regarding killings or casualties. No information was also available if any local civilian populations were affected or displaced as a consequence of any operation having taken place.

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