Significant human rights abuses in Manipur: US report

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 23

The United States, in its report on ‘Human Rights 2023’, today said ‘significant human rights abuses’ happened in Manipur following the outbreak of ethnic conflict in May 2023. The report also mentioned raids by tax authorities on UK broadcaster BBC and transnational cases like killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.

Released by the US State Department, the report flags armed conflict, rapes, assaults in Manipur and speaks about violence against journalists and unjustified arrests of citizens.

The Ministry of External Affairs has not yet responded to the incidents in the report.

On Manipur, the report mentioned that at least 175 persons were killed and more than 60,000 displaced due to the ongoing conflict.

The report also highlighted what it termed as “worrying trend” of violence against journalists, unjustified arrests and the application of criminal libel laws to suppress dissent.

On the searches at BBC, the report said tax officials also seized equipment from journalists who were not involved in the organisation’s financial processes. Last year in February, the Income Tax Department carried out surveys at the premises of the BBC in Delhi and Mumbai. The development came weeks after the British broadcaster released a documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots titled “India: The Modi Question”.

The US report also mentioned human rights abuses committed in regions plagued by terrorism, including J&K, and areas affected by the Maoist insurgency.

On Hardeep Nijjar, the report said it indicated a “pattern of extrajudicial actions by state agents”. The report does not mention the case of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The US has accused an Indian intelligence official of planning to allegedly kill Pannun.

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