NHRC seeks 'Action Taken Report' from Manipur Govt over criminal complaint filed by Kuki human rights body

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought "Action Taken Report" from the Manipur Government regarding a criminal complaint filed against former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh's alleged genocide campaign on the minority Kuki-Zo comunity of Manipur.

The intimation letter, dated 27 February, 2025, has directed the Chief Secretary of Manipur to submit or send a report with 15 days from the date of receive of the letter.

Kuki Organization For Human Rights (KOHUR) had filed a criminal complaint particularly against former Manipur Chief Minister N. BirenSingh based on his genocidal campaign against Kuki-Zo people to National Human Rights Commission on 10th of October, 2024.

Taking to X, the Kuki human rights body said, "Albeit late, the Commission has taken cognisance of the human rights violation on 27.02.2025 and forwarded the same for action to the Chief Secretary of Manipur. The commission also directed the Chief Secretary to send ACTION TAKEN REPORT within two weeks."

"With a case pending on the same matter in Supreme Court, we hope that justice will be served without any further delay. We’ll not cease our fight till justice is served to the Kuki-Zo People," it added.

NHRC's letter to Chief Secretary of Manipur stated that it recieved a complaint from H. Shokhopao Mate, Chairman of Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust, on October 23, 2024, drawing the attention of NHRC for Kuki-Zo tribal commity's urgent need for protection from the atrocities of majority Meitei community.

The complainant stated that the current state-sponsored Meitei war against Kukis was not only anti-human and anti-tribal but also anti-constitutional and anti-national that NHRC kind intervention would surely help in preventing them from going further. He had requested the Commission to take appropriate measures and intervene.

On perusal of the complaint, the letter stated, the Commission is of the considered view that the allegations leveled in the complaint are serious violations of the Human Rights of the victim. Accordingly, it directed the Registry to send a copy of the complaint to the Chief Secretary, Manipur to examine the matter and submit a report on the points raised by the complainant expeditiously within a period of 15 days treating the matter very urgent.

Mention may be made that the Kuki Organisation for Human Rights, Manipur, had also urged the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, to intervene in the ongoing ethnic conflict in the state and take note of the “gross violation of human rights” faced by the Kuki-Zo community. The plea comes after violent clashes erupted  in Kangpokpi on March 8, which resulted in the death of one Kuki man, and several others were injured.

The Organisation accused the security forces of using excessive force, including “firing” on protesters who were singing the national anthem and waving the national flag on the first day on which Union home minister Amit Shah’s order of “free movement” between the valley and the hills came into force.

Since the conflict started in May 2023, Meitei-majority valley areas and Kuki-majority hill areas had been closed to members of the other community.