Rights & Risks Analysis Group seeks President's rule in Manipur

Rights & Risks Analysis Group (RRAG), an independent think-tank based in Delhi, on Monday urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to consider imposing President's rule in Manipur in view of the failure to bring the ethnic violence under control despite the imposition of Article 355 on May 6.

RRAG Director Suhas Chakma said that in the ethnic violence that began on May 3 following the protest of the Kuki tribals over the judgment of the Manipur High Court on the grant of Scheduled Tribe status to the Meiteis, over 80 persons were killed while over 250 persons were injured.

The RRAG is involved in conducting risk analysis with the aim of preventing violations of human rights.

About 26,000 people have been internally displaced while another 50,000 people had to be relocated within their communities for safety.

"The ongoing military operations alone are not enough to douse the flames of ethnic violence. What is required is inter-community dialogues at all levels to establish trust and peace, but the state government has not been able to initiate any inter-community dialogue so far," Chakma said in a statement.

He said that imposition of the President's rule is urgently necessary as the Central government, as a neutral and acceptable authority, can initiate inter-community dialogues to curb violence.

"The relocation of about 50,000 people to safe places within their respective communities only exposes the collapse of the state structure to ensure the right to life of its citizens. The relocation of people is reminiscent of the relocation of people during the partition of India in 1947.

"There are limits of combing operations by the Army and other para-military forces. If the measures to control ethnic violence become akin to the decades-long counter-insurgency operations in the state, it bodes ill for all. The need of the hour is inter-community dialogues at all levels to establish peace and mutual trust," Chakma said.