IMPHAL, Aug 13 (NNN): An eight-member team of CPIML,
AIPWA, AILAJ and an independent activist, after taking ground
stock of the prevailing crisis in Manipur during their four days
camping in the state, on Sunday blamed both the BJP
governments at the Centre and in Manipur for the “complete
breakdown of constitutional machinery” in the state.
Addressing the media at Manipur Press Club, Imphal, before
concluding their four-day visit in the state, they alleged
complete breakdown of constitutional machinery resulted in an
unending saga of violence and untold human suffering in
Manipur.
They said that over the past four days, the eight-member team
from different parts of the country has visited affected villages
and relief camps across the state.
The eight members were Pratima Enghipee (CPIML leader from
Karbi Anglong of Assam, Bibek Das (CPIML leader from Assam),
Sucheta De (CPIML leader from Delhi), Avani Chokshi (CPIML
leader from Karnataka), Clifton & Rozario (CPIML leader from
Karnataka), Krishnaveni (All India Progressive Women’s
Association), Madhulika T (All India Lawyers Association for
Justice) and Du. Saraswati (Dalit and women’s rights activist
from Karnataka).
“We are shocked at the political turmoil created by the double-
engine BJP governments in Manipur and at the Centre,” they
said.
The team had visited villages and relief camps in Imphal valley,
Kangpokpi and Churachandpur districts.
In a written statement distributed during the press conference,
the team alleged that the unprecedented violence in the state
is the gift of the BJP on the 75th anniversary of India’s
independence.
“Never before in the history of India has a government
overseen such a complete decimation of society’s social fabric
that entire communities within a state are ethnically
segregated into different parts of a state,” it stated.
It alleged that the double-engine BJP government has
manufactured this segregation in a state, which despite
previous conflicts, was able to reconcile and live together.
The violence and ethnic segregation has been raging for more
than three months now and it is the product of the actions of
the BJP government, the statement also said.
Even as the chief minister proved thoroughly incompetent and
reluctant to put an end to the violence, the Prime Minister
prioritized his visits to France and the US over Manipur, the
statement added.
The miserable response of the Prime Minister and the union
home minister in Parliament exposed the bankruptcy in
offering any comprehensive political solution to this crisis, it
further alleged
On the conditions of the displaced people taking shelter at the
relief camps, they stated that the situation is grim.
Across the valley and the hills, thousands of internally displaced
persons live in desperate conditions. Basic services are lacking
and the government has wiped its hands off the suffering
people, they alleged in the written statement.
The undeclared blockade on the national highways has severely
compromised the transport of essential commodities including
basic relief food items, medicine affecting thousands of
internally displaced people in the relief camps in hill districts,
it also said.
The relief camps in the valley are also shocking. It is learnt that
only Rs 80 per person in addition to some rice and dal is given
by the state government, which is grossly insufficient, the
statement also said.
No proper facilities are being provided as observed by the team
in the relief camp at Moirang in Bishnupur district.
In the Churachandpur relief camp, due to congestion infectious
diseases like measles, chicken pox and viral fever are
spreading, it stated.
The team also opined that resignation of Biren Singh as chief
minister will mark the first step in the journey towards any
feasible political solution to this humanitarian crisis.
At the same time, they appealed to the affected communities
to cease all hostilities to ensure that the suffering masses in the
relief camps can be properly taken care of as a gesture of
moving forward from the conflict and towards a resolution to
the present impasse.
