CorCom shares thoughts on 72nd Intl Human Rights Day-II
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 10 2020: India has been depriving the people of WESEA of their right to self determination, alleged CorCom, India Government had given consent and signed the International Covenant on Civil find Political Rights (ICCPR) and International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) in 1979 to uphold the UDHR (Universal Declaration of Human Rights) .

However, India has not been respecting Article 1 of the two documents (ICCPR & ICESCR) which recognise the rights of the people to self determination.

India has been going againstthe rule of democracy and disrespecting the UDHR and the rule of law by "depriving" her own people of their right to self determination.

Countries like France, Netherland, Germany and Pakistan have been denouncing India's view on the common Article 1 of both the documents, added CorCom.

During the Caribbean Regional Seminar on Decolonisation in 2015, then UN General Secretary Ban-Ki-Moon had said that the world was not yet free of colonisation.

Even though the United Nations' Special Committee on Decolonisation also known as C-24 has not yet recognised Manipur (Kangleipak) as an "Indian occupied territory" or "colony", several revolutionary groups operating in the State have been sending letters to the UN apprising the body about the "freedom struggles" going on in Manipur, said CorCom adding that the several Nations have also started to recognise the "struggle for self determination" here.

India has been not only "depriving" the WESEA States and the people of their political rights, but it has been exploiting the natural, resources by installing hydroelectric projects and extracting resources such as natural gas, petroleum, coal, chromite, uranium, limestone etc.

Even though voices have been raised against the Tipaimukh Multi-Purpose Project, Khuga Dam Project, Ithai Barrage Project and oil and natural gas exploration at Jiribam, Tamenglong, India has not paid any attention to the plight of the people.

India has been deploying security forces to forcefully quell public agitation and deprive people of their rights.

India is targeting to extract about 5,000 billion cubic feet of oil from an area of about 3,850 sqkm in Manipur (Kangleipak), alleged CorCom.

On the flow of migrants, CorCom said the Passport-Visa System of Manipur (Kangleipak) was abolished in 1950 and since then many migrated to Manipur and started settling.

The number of migrant workers are ever increasing as they are cheap to hire.

They are continuously brought in to be employed for construction of railways tracks, National/Asian Highways, airports and dams.

With the increase in the inflow of the migrants, their settling areas have also increased.

Even as people have repeatedly urged the Government to send them back, no action has been taken up so far, it said.

In addition, India under the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 (CAA) is aiming to give citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Bhudhists, Christians, Jains and Parsis of Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who had entered India on or before December 31 of 2014.This has enabled the Bangladeshis who are residing in the WESEA region to get Indian citizenship.

Moreover, those who get the Indian citizenship elsewhere under the CAA will also be able to enter the WESEA region.

Even though the Inner Line Permit System is in place in Manipur (Kangleipak), there is a "huge loophole".

While the CAA will not be enforced in places where there is ILP/6th Schedule region, when closely studied, the ILP System only restricts grant of Certificate of Registration and certificate of Naturalisation.

Those people of the six communities who are already in Manipur (Kangleipak) can still' get Indian citizenship under the CAA and continue residing here, said CorCom.

It further asserted that even though migrants can't buy land in 6th Scheduled areas or places where ILP System is enforced, they can still bypass this restriction.

If they have the consent of the Government or Khullakpa (head of village/authority), the migrants can buy and own land.

Besides, Multi-National Companies (MNCs) which are engaged in the development projects can own land with the consent of the Government in Manipur (Kangleipak) and WESEA region.

Further, the UN Human Rights Body had intervened and said that the CAA was "discriminatory" on the ground that it only allows non-Muslims to get Indian citizenship, said CorCom asking people why they should allow the CAA, which is based on India's "partition responsibility" to be enforced.

Manipur (Kangleipak) and other WESEA States are being threatened by the CAA.

There is fear that the indigenous people of these regions may someday lose their culture and identity.

The indigenous people of Tripura are on the verge of extinction and the Bangladeshis and Bengalis are becoming majority communities in Assam.

Manipur (Kangleipak), Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Mizoram may soon meet the fate of Tripura and Assam.

India's policies are in violation of the international humanitarian law's restriction of "Transplantation of civilian population of the occupying power into the occupied territories".

The right to self determination is being suppressed with India's AFSA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958) despite UN human rights bodies' appeal to repeal the Act, said CorCom.

Even though there is a huge presence of security forces in WESEA regions, there is increasing drug trafficking which is threatening the future of the youths and younger generations.

Narcotics and drugs have also been seized from security personnel/officers of Assam Rifles, Manipur Police and State leaders, alleged CorCom.

On the other hand, the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected the WESEA States with a daily death toll of 20-25 people.

"Failure and faulty" policies of India's healthcare systems have been revealed.

Other than RIMS and JNIMS, district hospitals in Manipur (Kangleipak) have no adequate and needed facilities to treat COVID-19 patients.

The State lacks ventilators and doesn't have the capacity to conduct more than 1000 tests in a day.

The Government is not able to establish a hospital which meets the best present standard of medical facilities.

People in remote areas are still carrying pregnant and expecting mothers on bamboo cots to hospitals, added CorCom.

The proscribed group also accused India of curtailing fundamental rights of its citizens by arresting many leaders for exercising freedom of speech and expression.

India which boasts itself of being the largest democracy is "muffling" its citizens' voice and "threatening" the intellectuals.

Further, India is adopting "divisive policy" in Manipur to sow seeds of "enmity" between different communities and people of hills and valley.

On 72nd Human Rights Day "let us all fight for self determination and become self reliant for future generations," said CorCom.

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