GMF condemns biased UN side event
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 22 2023: The Global Manipur Federation (GMF), representing the global Manipuri diaspora, has strongly condemned the recent side event at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) titled 'The Crisis in Manipur and Implications for Human Rights in India' .

At the event, Khuraijam Athouba, spokesperson for the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) and vice president of IPSA who was present among the audience was unjustly prevented from completing his questions and presenting his views.

The actions of Mr Wissam alSaliby, director of the WEA's Geneva office and the event's moderator, were totally biased and unfair, the GMF pointed out in a statement.

Mr al-Saliby undermined the role of a moderator at such a crucial time by allowing a particularly one-sided narrative to flow, which retains false stories about the current Manipur crisis.

Of particular concern is the composition of the so-called expert panel, which includes members who have spoken on the Manipur violence.

These individuals include Reem Alsalem, UN Special Rapporteur On Violence Against Women And Girls; Florence N Lowe, head of North American Manipur Tribal Association; Henna Zuberi, advocacy director of Justice for All, and Nury Turkel, commissioner of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, who sent a pre-recorded video message, it said.

"We are deeply troubled by the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls engaging in such a misrepresented event.

In fact, it appears to be an attempt to highlight Manipur's communal fault lines during this event, which has been brought before a UN expert panel to address issues related to migrants", it said.

The Chin-Kuki community has also engaged with countries such as Germany, the United States, Israel, as well as international bodies like the United Nations and the European Union, with discussions regarding the possibility of a separate State, it reminded.

The Global Manipur Federation asserted that interference in India's internal affairs is unacceptable.

"We have observed that certain religious groups are attempting to misrepresent the present crisis as a Christian-Hindu conflict which began in May" .

GMF would like to emphasise that the violent conflict in Manipur is primarily rooted in narco-terrorism, the relocation of the infamous Golden Triangle to Manipur, and the issue of illegal immigration, with illegal Chin-Kukis as the primary actors.

Therefore, the WEA's attempt to frame it as a religious conflict is misleading, it said.

According to the 2011 census, the population of Meitei Hindus (without considering Meitei Pangals and Meitei Christians) is less than the overall tribal Christian population in Manipur (30.1% vs.

46.1%) .

Therefore, construing this as minority persecution is baseless, the GMF asserted.

"In light of these concerns, we are exploring the possibility of requesting the United Nations to conduct an investigation into these attempts by religious groups to malign and mislead the Manipur crisis, diverting attention from the pressing issues that threaten the region's stability and well-being.

This investigation aligns with the fundamental duty of the United Nations, as outlined in its declaration, to protect the indigenous people of the world", it said.

The Global Manipur Federation also called on all Indians and the international communities to reject attempts to distort the situation in Manipur.

"We stand united in our commitment to justice and meaningful dialogue through democratic means, and we urge all parties involved to refrain from promoting biased narratives that could exacerbate tensions in the region", it said.

GMF, headquartered in Suwon, South Korea, is a global peace advocacy group dedicated to promoting non-violent conflict resolution, dialogue, and cooperation among Nations and communities worldwide.

With a mission to create a more harmonious and united world, GMF actively engages in conflict resolution initiatives and humanitarian efforts to alleviate suffering and build a sustainable foundation for peace.

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