UN briefed on Manipur violence: Athouba
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, October 04 2023:
International Peace and Social Advancement (IPSA) president Khuraijam Athouba, who attended the 54th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council held in September in Geneva, Switzerland, said that facts about the ongoing violence in Manipur have been made known to international community.
Addressing media persons at IPSA office at Keishampat Wednesday, Khuraijam Athouba said he made four interventions on Manipur issue at the main session of the Human Rights Council and highlighted about large-scale infiltration of illegal immigrants in Manipur, Narco-Terrorism activities by immigrant population, widespread and open poppy plantation by immigrant Chin-Kuki narco-terrorists in hills and massive deforestation for poppy cultivation and settlement of illegal immigrants.
Several incidents of human rights violation, infringement on rights of the indigenous people like demographic imbalance, ethnic harmony, co-existence and degraded environment to be left to future generation were also highlighted in another intervention, Athouba said.
While informing that he took part in the interactive dialogue on 'Democratic Rights and International Order' during the session, Athouba said he highlighted on the issues of whether indigenes of Manipur are getting democratic rights fully and whether violence free international order prevails in Manipur.
It was a gross mistake on part of the Government of India to hold political dialogues for a long time with armed Kuki militants which entered into Suspension of Operation (SoO).
These SoO militants are actively and widely involved in poppy cultivation and SoO made these militants to carry out activities of narco-terrorism with impunity, Athouba said adding that the issue was also highlighted during the session and drew attention of the United Nations Human Rights Council to give directive to the Government of India to review and revoke SoO.
Athouba also said that he submitted a factual report of the violence in Manipur to UN rapporteur clearly mentioning about fund mobilisation by immigrant Kukis to the tune of Rs 700 crore, mass casual leave by Kuki officers before the violence between April 25 and 28.The report also mentioned the inclusion of Churachandpur in case study of Myanmar on poppy cultivation by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the attempt to form a new Golden Triangle in Churachandpur with supporting documents on recovery of drugs worth Rs 7,887 crore by Manipur state force in the past five years.
According to Athouba, it was a huge opportunity to high light the issues of Manipur at the United Nations Human Rights Council and presenting facts at the international forum benefited a lot.
Biased reports published by national media owing to huge narco-terrorism fund of the Kukis have gradually turned to another angle and changing narrative in the international forum helped change the attitude of the Government of India.
PANDM president Yumnamcha Dilipkumar, who also attended the press conference, said fake reports presented by the Kukis about the ongoing violence in Manipur to people of India and global communities compelled the Meetei community to clarify at the international forum.
Accordingly, PANDM along with IPSA, ACOAM Lup, Kanglamei, IPAK, CLK, KLL and KSA sought fund from public and sent Khuraijam Athouba to take part the UN session.
False narratives about the ongoing violence have gradually vanished and came to the right path, he said and thanked every section of people for their contributions.
According to Dilipkumar, solution to the ongoing violence could not be brought by people's hue and cry.
What requires at present to bring solution to the violence is a strong and spirited state government which could mount pressure on the Centre, he observed and stressed the need to push state government to the right direction to bring an end to the violence.
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