Manipur ethnic violence probe panel collects evidence

Security personnel deployed to maintain law and order amid curfew imposed in view of recent violence in Manipur, in Imphal, on November 19, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI

The three-member Commission of Inquiry (CoI) notified last year by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to probe ethnic violence in Manipur is in the middle of collecting evidence, and “relevant people” would be called to appear before the panel soon, a senior government official said on Tuesday (November 19, 2024).

The Commission was expected to conduct public hearings to comprehensively investigate the ethnic violence, but a decision is yet to be taken on the subject. “The safety and security of individuals who attend the hearing is to be considered. What if someone is harmed after the hearing? We are weighing in the options,” the official said.

A September 13 notification by the MHA had said that the Commission shall submit its report to the Central government as soon as possible but not later than November 20.

The official told The Hindu that the CoI headed by Ajai Lamba, former Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court, has received over 11,000 affidavits, including pen drives, photographs and other documentary submissions. The papers, kept in two rooms, weigh about 2.5 tonnes, the official said. The Commission had sent notices to all the District Commissioners, Superintendents of Police, Armoury In-charges, and other offices, with specific queries, and it received a response to each of the affidavits.

“The CoI examined each document, which had to be segregated district-wise. The veracity of the affidavits have to be checked. Now the CoI is at the stage of summoning evidence. All relevant persons will be called. So the process will take time,” the official added.

Another official added that after the CoI was notified on June 3, 2023, the public notices inviting affidavits could not be circulated for a long time as the Internet had been blocked, newspapers were not being published, and even Post Offices were not functioning. When the Commission visited Manipur in June 2023, only 22 out of 57 Post Offices were working.

“The Commission had to find an alternative way to inform the public. The notices were published in pamphlets and kept at relief camps and police stations so that it reached every affected person. Since many people had moved out of the State, the deadline was extended, and by January 2024, the Commission had received more than 11,000 affidavits,” the second official said.

Ethnic violence between the tribal Kuki-Zo-Hmar people and the Meitei people, which erupted in the State on May 3, 2023, has claimed about 250 lives so far. Thousands of properties have been burnt down and more than 60,000 people have been displaced from their homes.

The CoI is expected to probe the causes, the extent of the violence and riots targeting members of different communities, the sequence of events, and whether there had been any lapses or dereliction of duty in this regard on the part of any of the responsible authorities and individuals.

“The CoI addressed the Central government and then the State government officials because they are the people whose conduct has to be enquired into. The Commission will have to go to the people whose houses have been burnt, and [the houses of] those who have been killed. All the affidavits were examined and the ones requiring action were isolated. Witnesses are being called in connection with the selected affidavits,” the second official said.

Although the MHA has set a deadline, the Commission is still at the evidence collection stage. Till late on Tuesday, the deadline had not been extended.

“If the notification is not extended, then intra-department [work] will continue. Notices and summons cannot be sent to others, but office work will continue,” the second official said.