New Delhi: The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) has announced the constitution of an independent citizen’s tribunal to visit the violence-hit Manipur to speak to the affected communities and relevant stakeholders as well as representatives of the state and central government to bring out an independent report on the state of affairs.
The panel – which will comprise eminent retired judges of the Supreme Court and high courts, civil servants, academics, journalists and members of civil society – will visit Manipur to hold tribunal hearings across the state to directly hear testimonies of the local people on violence in the state. These in-person visits and sittings will be held between mid-March and mid-May, 2024. While the interim report is expected to be out in mid-June, the full report will be made available to the public in mid-August.
According to a statement issued by PUCL, there are five objectives before the tribunal:
a. Document the violations suffered by the people of Manipur with specific attention to the loss of life, sexual violence and violence suffered by children, women including pregnant women and the elderly.
b. Examine and analyse the performance and responsibilities of the constitutional authorities by documenting the action taken to prevent the violence, provide access to remedy and justice, investigate and prosecute crimes, and in all other ways to provide redressal of violations and make efforts to establish the rule of law.
c. Examine the role of all security agencies as well as government functionaries at all levels of the state and central governments in ensuring law and order and also examine the role of independent national and state-based institutions in protecting human rights.
d. Examine existing documentation on the Manipur situation and analyse the reasons for the continuing violence
e. Propose recommendations to repair the torn social, cultural and political fabric of the state.
The ethnic strife, which began on May 3 last year, continues to rock the state even after nine months. Over 200 people have been reportedly killed, and many tens of thousands of people continue to live in refugee camps fearing violence. Both Kukis and Meities have expressed deep mistrust with the state and Union governments.
