Ensure violence ends; report on relief and rehab: NHRC to Manipur govt

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) late on Tuesday (July 25) directed the Manipur government to ensure that no further violence takes place in the strife-torn state.

In a statement, the NHRC also asked the state government to inform it about the relief and rehabilitation of the victims affected by the ethnic violence.

“The authorities are directed to ensure that no further violence, which resulted in violation of human rights, takes place,” the NHRC said.

Action-taken reports awaited

The NHRC has observed that “in most of the matters relating to violation of human rights due to continued violence in the state of Manipur, the action-taken reports sought by it from the state government are awaited”.

“Therefore, it becomes imperative to know what actions have been taken by the concerned authority in the series of incidents that kept on happening for a considerable period and the disturbances are continuing for a pretty long time,” the statement said.

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The NHRC, without arriving at any final decision at this stage in all the complaints registered by it in the series of incidents, would like to know the efforts made by authorities on various points, such as the quantum of compensation awarded as of now to the victims, and number of persons and family members who have been covered under the compensation scheme, it said.

NHRC’s queries

The NHRC added that it has also asked about the steps taken for the rehabilitation of the victims and next of kin of the deceased, and number of persons or families of victims rehabilitated as on date.

Also, the NHRC has asked whether the process of compassionate employment to the next of kin of the deceased, who died due to violence, has been initiated and what is the stage of such process.

The Commission has also asked about the steps taken by the authorities concerned to “promote harmony and restore common brotherhood” with a view to save human lives and to protect the properties, both private and public, abjure violence, particularly against the women and to promote fraternity and the spirit of brotherliness amongst the community, the statement said.

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“Maintain peace and harmony”

The NHRC also expects enough measures to be taken to prevent the communities from resorting to violence, and to maintain peace and harmony so as to strengthen the bonds of brotherhood, one of the important Fundamental Duties, so enshrined in Article 51(A) of the Constitution, it added.

Without making any observation on the steps taken by the authorities, it has been directed that rehabilitative measures be initiated and offer of compensation to the victims or their families should be “continued uninterruptedly and without any discrimination or arbitrariness”.

It is also observed that the process shall be expedited and the Commission may be intimated by a comprehensive action taken report within two weeks, the statement said.

(With agency inputs)