Petitions

Petition to The Hon’ble Prime Minister of India from Citizens of India for Action in Manipur

Dear Prime Minister,

The unfortunate violence that broke out on 3 May 2023 in Manipur is still simmering with no sign of calming down even after nine months.

It has left more than 200 persons dead, more than 1000 persons injured and at least 32 persons are missing. About 70,000 internally displaced persons are reeling under despicable conditions in 328 relief camps spread across the hills and valley. The lack of balanced diet and emotional care for children, youth and women are making them even more vulnerable.

The economy of the State has also come to a grinding halt. The normal life of the entire population has been severely crippled by the unprecedented segregation of the population, restriction of movement across the districts inhabited by conflicting communities and on all the National Highways. Armed vigilante youths loitering the hamlets and towns, hate mongering, as well as ever-increasing pressure to support the “war efforts” on both sides of the divide has become the order of the day.

The Peace Committee set up in June 2023 has not met so far even as the bouts of gruesome violence keep escalating over and over again destroying humanity on a daily basis.

Under these circumstances, the concerned citizens from across the length and breadth of India appeal to you as the Prime Minister that the Government of India should:

1. Stop violence by initiating dialogue between the conflicting parties, by appointing competent dialogue facilitators of integrity and competence through consensus.

2. Provide full reparation, restitution and compensation to the loss suffered by the survivors of the violence, including loss of lives, limbs and property. Their right to return, with security, to their uprooted settlements or at the place of their choice should be respected. The government should reconstruct their houses with full access to basic needs like education, health, medicine, livelihoods, etc.

3.Firmly establish the Rule of Law by:

a. Controlling the proliferation of illegal arms and ammunition to stop the spiraling violence and halt further descent to anarchy.

b. Filing separate FIRs for each and very crime committed by activating the Manipur State Legal Services Authority. This could also deter any future criminality and atrocities.

c. Constituting an effective Special Investigation Team to conduct prompt, thorough, impartial and independent investigations in each of the cases.

d. Prosecuting the accused in a free and fair trial within a stipulated time period.

4. Establish and Truth and Conciliation Commission in order to heal the festering wounds and transform the collective trauma and to guarantee the non-repetition of such unspeakable violence in the future.

Thanking you in anticipation of your kind immediate attention action to save humanity in this part of India.