UNHRC urged to hold GoI accountable
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 05 2023:
In light of the five-month long conflict raging in Manipur, Kh Phajaton, representative of Association for Integration and Sustainable Development in Burundi and U Jenison, representative of Indigenous People of Africa Coordinating Committee have called upon the United Nations Human Rights Council "to hold Government of India accountable for the ongoing violence in Manipur and for not being able to protect its citizens in Manipur" .
The two made their statements while addressing the Chair of the UN Human Rights Council yesterday afternoon during a general debate on its agenda on the follow-up to and implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action.
In his address to the Chair, Kh Phajaton asserted that the Government of India has failed to protect and provide necessary care to the people of Manipur at a time when protection of civilians particularly the women, children, elderly and differently abled persons must be given the priority.
He shared that more than 22,000 children are at the relief camps with no proper education facilities and other recreational activities while adding that pregnant women, lactating mothers, adolescent girls, elderly people and person with disabilities are suffering the most.
Adding that the mentality of excessive militarizing to curb the violence is not the ultimate solution, he maintained that the Government of India has failed to implement the Vienna Declaration and Program of Action.
He requested the Council to communicate with India to provide special protection for women, children, people with disabilities and elderly persons at this time of conflict in Manipur and to explore the mechanisms to make Government of India accountable for the ongoing violence in Manipur.
Addressing the Chair, U Renison spoke about the atrocities "committed by the Indian Armed Forces towards the unarmed students and peoples of Manipur" .
Saying that more than 200 people have been killed, 5000+ houses burnt, 50+ people reported missing and upwards of 60,000 people uprooted in the conflict, he pointed out that in all the violence hit areas there is a presence of a large number of Central paramilitary forces with their full-fledged camps.
"All the blood shed since the last 5 months are occurring right before their nose with no action to control the violence", he stressed.
Stating that the people of Manipur and the North East in general have been suffering due to the action of the Indian Armed Forces under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, he said that the ongoing violence appears to be occurring under the strict monitoring of the Government of India through its military agencies which need a serious attention of the UN Human Rights Council.
In closing, he urged the UNHRC to hold the Government of India accountable for not being able to protect the civilians and to end this violence.