Manipur: Top tribal body alleges state government of misleading committee assigned to oversee violence relief and probe

Top tribal body Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) recent allegations suggest that the state government is not providing accurate information to the committee tasked with overseeing the situation.

This has raised concerns about the effectiveness of the government's efforts to restore peace and stability in the region.

In a letter to Justice Gita Mittal (Retd.), Chairperson of the Committee appointed by the Supreme Court on rehabilitation, the tribal body alleged that 'No email, no phone call, no meeting, no discussion' were made to ITLF or Joint Philanthropic Organisation (JPO) with regards to the findings of the committee.

The top organizations have informed that the committee had no contact or discussion with them at all. 

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Some tribal bodies were present at a meeting with the administration and the Committee where the problems of the tribal students were discussed relating to burnt/destroyed/lost educational documents during the violence. 

They also discussed about issues relating to relocation/ continuation of classes by MBBS, Engineering, Nursing, University students etc. Therefore, there appears to be no reason why the Committee should make the comments that were made in the report.

Further, the tribal boy alleged that the State probably did not make arrangements for the Committee to meet the leading tribal organisations.

"We request the Hon’ble Committee to maintain formal contacts and have discussions with the abovementioned recognised leaders of the tribals. We assure the Committee of the full and prompt cooperation of these leaders," mentions the letter.

Highlighting reports number 13 and 14 submitted by the committee, the tribal body claimed that the propaganda done by the State and the dominant community against the tribals relied upon wherein the tribal organisations protested against the inordinate delay in the handing over of the bodies by placing 100 empty coffins before the Deputy Commissioner’s office.

The tribal body also claimed that the tribal organisations have never refused compensation nor have they instigated anyone to not take compensation.

"The view among the tribals is that it would be an insult to the dead to accept money at this stage from the very State that engineered the ethnic cleansing. Hence the overall feeling is that after the dead bodies are buried with dignity according to the tribal customs then a decision can and will be taken as quickly as possible regarding compensation," added the letter.