PPAM submits memorandum to Governor
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 01 2025: The People's Progressive Alliance Manipur (PPAM) has submitted a memorandum to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla listing five demands including immediate public release of the Gwaltabi incident report and restoration of free movement on National Highways within 7 days.

In the memorandum, PPAM (a coalition of 17 civil society organisations) has urged the Governor:
i) To end illegal taxation and extortion: All illegal checkposts, extortion points, and armed dominance on the highways must be dismantled, maintained PPAM .

ii) Resettle the IDPs: A comprehensive rehabilitation and livelihood plan for internally displaced persons should be immediately announced and implemented.

iii) Accountability for war crimes and genocidal acts: PPAM asserted that India should honour its obligations under international law and prosecute those responsible for "war crimes and genocide in Manipur". Under the Geneva Conventions Act, 1960, India has a clear statutory duty to ensure respect for the provisions of the Geneva Conventions of 1949, which it has ratified.

This includes the obligation to criminalise, investigate, and prosecute grave breaches such as willful killing, torture, inhuman treatment, collective punishment, and persecution of communities.

By failing to act against those responsible for ethnic cleansing, targeted violence, and the denial of humanitarian access, the Government of India not only undermines its own domestic law but also breaches its binding international commitments under the Four Geneva Conventions of August 12, 1949 and the Genocide Convention of 9 December 1948, PPAM pointed out.

iv) Immediate release of the Gwaltabi inquiry report compiled by the two-member inquiry committee - Home Commissioner N Ashok Kumar and IT Secretary Th Kirankumar Singh to the public without delay.

v) Free movement on National Highways: The Government of India should issue directives to the Kuki SoO groups to allow unhindered movement of Meiteis and all communities on NHs within 7 days.

If their demands are not fulfilled within 7 days, PPAM has warned that it will resort to State-wide agitations including peaceful blockade of highways, mass protests in Imphal and New Delhi and legal action before National and international human rights bodies.

Stating that the Gwaltabi incident symbolises the erasure of Manipur's dignity and legal identity while the highway blockades represent the systematic persecution of its people, PPAM pointed out that as the Constitutional head of the State, the Governor is duty-bound to ensure transparency in governance, protection of fundamental rights and restoration of peace and justice.

Comment