Mizoram women’s organisation urges NHRC to take action over Manipur horror

While strongly condemning the incident, the MHIP urged the NHRC to take cognisance of the offence and take all necessary measures to ensure justice

Aizawl: Mizoram’s apex women’s organisation Mizo Hmeichhe Insuihkhawm Pawl (MHIP) on Thursday wrote a letter to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) urging it to take immediate action over the incident of naked parading and molestation of two women in strife-torn Manipur.

A video shot on May 4 surfaced on Wednesday showing two women from one of the warring communities in Manipur being paraded naked and molested by a mob from the other side.

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“We are terribly shocked and saddened to witness this heart-wrenching incident in our civilised world and we find no words to express our pain and indignation,” the letter read.

While strongly condemning the incident, the MHIP urged the NHRC to take cognisance of the offence and take all necessary measures to ensure justice.

The Meitei community in Mizoram also strongly condemned the incident.

In a press statement, the All Mizoram Manipur Association (AMMA) said, “We strongly condemn such an inhuman act perpetrated by some miscreants in Manipur. This act of barbarism is unacceptable and we denounce it.” The AMMA urged the Manipur government to take action against the culprits.

Meanwhile, several civil society organisations in Mizoram decided to stage state-wide demonstrations on July 25 against “atrocities meted out to the tribal community”, a leader of the Central Young Mizo Association (CYMA) said.

CYMA general secretary Professor Lalnuntluanga said the decision was taken after a meeting of NGO Co-Ordination Committee, a conglomerate of major civil society and student bodies.

The committee urged households to hoist black flags in protest against incidents of violence in neighbouring Manipur. It also appealed to government employees, students and traders to join the protest.

More than 150 people have lost their lives, and several have been injured since ethnic violence broke out in the state on May 3, when a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mostly in the hill districts.