New Delhi undermines plebiscite proposal: Human Rights defenders
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, January 16, 2011: Human rights defenders of Manipur has criticized New Delhi of undermining an international involvement to end the Manipur-India conflict through a democratic process of a �plebiscite' as proposed by the United National Liberation Front.

In a memorandum submitted to Special Rapporteur, Margaret Sekaggya, it is mentioned that by rejecting the plebiscite proposal India undermines Article 51 (C) of its own Constitution, which is promotion of international peace and security, that shall endeavor to foster respect for international law and treaty obligations in the dealings of organised people with one another.

The memorandum was submitted on January 14 to the UN Special Repporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, when she was in Guwahati, Assam to take stock of the human rights situation in the North Eastern region.

Sixteen human rights defenders from Manipur including former member of the Manipur Human Rights' Commission, Yambem Laba among others signed the memorandum.

They stated that the UNLF forwarded a four point proposal to the Government of India with a view to resolving the conflict satisfactorily once and for all.

The proposals include a plebiscite under the supervision of the UN, deployment of a UN peacekeeping force, UNLF's depositing its arms to the UN peace keeping force, and India's pulling out military and para-military forces from Manipur, and transfer of political power in accordance with the outcome of the plebiscite.

According to them the nature of the conflict in Manipur is an armed movement of liberation in the nature of a low-intensity war against the Government of India.

"It is a sustained fight between organised armed forces and each side feels increasingly justified to use violence.

New Delhi is inclined to distract and muddle the question of armed conflict," the memorandum stated.

The memorandum also states that using Manipur Police commandos, Assam Rifles, and indigenous youths as personnel of the India Reserved Battalions (IRB) in the armed conflict is to draw in grey lines to further sideline the question from international attention.

The memorandum also alleges that the GoI has not introduced any policies to meet the economic requirements of the indigenous peoples.

The memorandum also touches on issues that may easily be polarized to confuse the people in the name of development such as constructions of dams and roads, airport expansion, Look East policy, etc.

that are being laid out with a hidden agenda or without adequate thought.

Allowing the free flow of drug abuse and alcoholism has caused the youth of Manipur to be distracted from the real issues.

The Rapporteur was reminded that the prolonged traumatisation by military actions is suppressing the people's commitment to fight against the injustice of human rights violations.

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