Manipur violence: SC refuses urgent listing of plea seeking protection of tribals, Manipur HC asks state govt limited internet services access

The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to hear the interlocutory application (IA) filed by the Manipur Tribal Forum alleging that even after the Centre’s assurances to this court, 70 tribals were killed in violence in the state

— The Manipur High Court, in an interim order, directed the state authorities to provide limited internet services to the public in some designated places under the control of the state authorities

NEW DELHI — The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to hear the interlocutory application (IA) filed by the Manipur Tribal Forum alleging that even after the Centre’s assurances to this court, 70 tribals were killed in violence in the state.

Mentioned before a vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and M.M. Sundresh by senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves, he submitted that the IA was for the security of the tribal areas and that people were being killed even after the Central government’s assurances to the apex court.

“This institution is our last hope and even after assurance the tribals are being killed,” Gonsalves said.

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However, the bench said that it will hear the matter once the court resumes its normal functioning post summer break and listed it for hearing on July 3.

The top court also said: “This is a serious issue of law and order … I hope the court is not required to pass orders for Army intervention, etc.”

#SupremeCourt refused to hear the interlocutory application filed by #Manipur Tribal Forum alleging that even after Centre's assurances to this court, 70 tribals were killed in violence in the state.

"This is a serious issue of law and order, I hope the court is not required to… pic.twitter.com/r4Aq88g8T6

— IANS (@ians_india) June 20, 2023

On the other hand, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted that security agencies were doing their best.

“So sorry this is being said,” he further said.

The application by Manipur Tribal Forum, a tribal welfare body, stated, “Ethnic cleansing of Kukis by the Arambai Tenggola and Meitei Leepun is the core issue.”

It says that the assurances given by SG saying that “peace is being restored”, are not useful anymore, and made in a non-serious fashion and are not even intended to be implemented.

“The reason why this hon’ble court ought not to rely anymore on the empty assurances given by UOI (Union of India) is because both the UOI and the Chief Minister of the state have embarked jointly on a communal agenda for the ethnic cleansing of the Kukis,” the forum submitted.

It claims that since the last hearing of the issue in this court, 81 more persons belonging to the Kuki tribe have been killed and 31,410 Kukis displaced.

Further, 237 churches and 73 administrative quarters have been torched and 141 villages destroyed, the court was told.

It stressed that the media coverage portraying the violence as a “clash” between two tribal communities is far from the truth.

The attackers are backed by the ruling party in power, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the forum has contended.

“Though the Meiteis and the tribals have had differences, yet they have co-existed for decades. Local skirmishes have certainly taken place but the well planned, organised armed attacks and the razing of villages as has happened is completely unprecedented,” the application reads.

Therefore, without such groups being arrested and prosecuted, “any semblance of peace will be fragile”, the application says.

The application also talks about the involvement of top politicians and drug kingpins in poppy cultivations that are dependent on tribal workers.

A forum approached the Supreme Court, requesting the evacuation of Manipuri Tribals who have sought refuge in the CRPF camps due to violence.

On June 8, the Manipur government had assured the top court that they would address the violence and take proactive measures.

The court then called for relief camp arrangements, protection of religious sites, and rehabilitation of displaced persons.

The forum, however, submitted an objection, stating that the arrangement made by the Union Home Ministry was unacceptable as it did not consult the tribal groups.

The ministry formed a committee led by former Gauhati High Court Chief Justice, Ajay Lamba, to investigate the matter.

Manipur HC asks state govt to provide limited internet services in some selected places

IMPHAL — The Manipur High Court, in an interim order, directed the state authorities to provide limited internet services to the public in some designated places under the control of the state authorities, sources said here on Tuesday.

The High Court’s observation came on a Public Interest Litigation filed by different individuals. It will now hear the case again on June 23.

Amidst sporadic incidents of violence, the Manipur government on June 15 extended the suspension of internet services for the ninth time since May 3 to prevent the spread of rumours and videos, photos, and messages, which might affect the law and order situation.

The High Court division bench comprising Justice Ahanthem Bimol Singh and Justice A. Guneshwar Sharma, directed the service providers of Vodafone, Idea, Jio, BSNL and Airtel to file a short affidavit explaining whether there is any feasibility of providing limited internet services to the public by blocking social media, website and by safeguarding the concern of the state government to maintain law and order in the state.

Taking into consideration the hardship faced by the public specially with regard to the ongoing admission process of the students in the state and to enable the public for carrying out their urgent and essential services, the high court directed the state authorities to provide limited internet service to the public in some designated places under the control of the state authorities.

The Manipur Human Rights Commission (MHRC) earlier asked the state government to consider restoration of internet services which had been suspended since the ethnic violence broke out in the state on May 3.

MHRC Chairperson Justice Utpalendu Bikash Saha and member K.K. Singh, in an order, asked the Home Commissioner to consider restoration of internet services in Manipur for providing benefits to the citizens to balance the security of the state and the right to freedom of expression.

The rights panel issued the order following a complaint from Kammingthang Hangshingan, an Aizawl resident, on the suspension of Internet services in Churachandpur district of Manipur last month. The complaint called it a ‘human rights violation’.

Various organisations, including the opposition Congress, have been demanding immediate restoration of internet service in Manipur.

Chongtham Victor Singh, an advocate with the Manipur High Court, recently filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the mechanical and repeated shutdown of the Internet in Manipur.

The petition had said when the government claimed that the state was returning to normalcy, the same state authority continued to suspend the internet services.

As shortage of various essentials, transport fuel, cooking gas and life-saving drugs, disturbances in banking and online facilities are affecting the normal life of people in strife-torn state, the Internet suspension for one-and-a-half months across the mountainous state further has added to the miseries of the people.

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