The Manipur Tribal Forum, one of the parties involved in the petition to the Supreme Court for a Special Investigation Team (SIT)-led probe following the outbreak of violence earlier this year, has accused the Central government and the Chief Minister of Manipur of supporting “ethnic cleansing.”
In a recent application filed on June 9, the tribal welfare organization alleged that since the last hearing, an additional 81 members of the Kuki tribe had been killed, and 31,410 Kukis had been displaced. They also reported extensive destruction, including 237 churches, 73 administrative quarters, and 141 villages.
The forum claimed that the assurances given by the authorities were insincere and not intended to be fulfilled. They urged the court to reject the hollow promises made by the Union of India and the Chief Minister, as they believed both were involved in a communal agenda aimed at ethnically cleansing the Kukis.
Furthermore, the forum emphasized that the portrayal of the violence as a conflict between two tribal communities was inaccurate. They asserted that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supported the attackers, and the situation involved armed communal groups linked to the party launching premeditated attacks on the tribals. They argued that the “clash” narrative concealed the true perpetrators, shielding them from prosecution and enabling further attacks.
The forum stressed that apprehending and prosecuting these groups was crucial for maintaining any semblance of peace. Additionally, they pointed out the involvement of influential politicians and drug kingpins in the drug trade, which heavily relied on tribal labor.
The forum had previously petitioned the Supreme Court to intervene in evacuating Manipuri Tribals who had sought refuge in CRPF camps, ensuring their safe return home under security escort. The Manipur government had assured the Court that they would address the concerns and take preventive measures.
However, the forum argued that the committee formed by the Union Home Ministry to investigate the incident, led by a former chief justice, was unacceptable as it failed to consult the victim tribal groups. They alleged that the Union of India colluded with the state government to support the two communal organizations responsible for the attacks against the tribals.
The forum called for an independent investigation conducted by officers from outside Manipur, rather than a biased inquiry commission. They proposed the appointment of former Delhi High Court Chief Justice and Law Commission Chairman AP Shah to head a single-member commission.
Furthermore, the application requested the Indian Army to take complete control of the law and order situation in several areas, and the establishment of a Special Investigation Team led by former Assam police chief Harekrishna Deka and overseen by former Tripura High Court Chief Justice Tinlianthang Vaiphei.
The forum also sought compensation of 2 crore for the families of those killed after May 3, permanent government employment, necessary assistance, and immediate reconstruction of damaged homes and institutions within three months. They urged the court to direct the Union government to dispatch an adequate number of doctors to Manipur for pending post-mortems and ensure the Army’s security to preserve evidence and allow families to identify and collect bodies for final rites.
