Newmai News Network
Imphal, Aug 13: An eight-member team of CPIML, AIPWA, AILAJ and an independent activist, after taking ground stock of the prevailing crisis in Manipur during their four days camping in the state, on Sunday blamed both the BJP governments at the Centre and in Manipur for the “complete breakdown of constitutional machinery” in the state.
Addressing the media at Manipur Press Club, Imphal, before concluding their four-day visit in the state, they alleged complete breakdown of constitutional machinery resulted in an unending saga of violence and untold human suffering in Manipur.
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They said that over the past four days, the eight-member team from different parts of the country has visited affected villages and relief camps across the state.
The eight members were Pratima Enghipee (CPIML leader from Karbi Anglong of Assam, Bibek Das (CPIML leader from Assam), Sucheta De (CPIML leader from Delhi), Avani Chokshi (CPIML leader from Karnataka), Clifton D’ Rozario (CPIML leader from Karnataka), Krishnaveni (All India Progressive Women’s Association), Madhulika T (All India Lawyers Association for Justice) and Du. Saraswati (Dalit and women’s rights activist from Karnataka).
“We are shocked at the political turmoil created by the double-engine BJP governments in Manipur and at the Centre,” they said.
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The team had visited villages and relief camps in Imphal valley, Kangpokpi and Churachandpur districts.
In a written statement distributed during the press conference, the team alleged that the unprecedented violence in the state is the gift of the BJP on the 75th anniversary of India’s independence.
“Never before in the history of India has a government overseen such a complete decimation of society’s social fabric that entire communities within a state are ethnically segregated into different parts of a state,” it stated.
It alleged that the double-engine BJP government has manufactured this segregation in a state, which despite previous conflicts, was able to reconcile and live together.
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The violence and ethnic segregation has been raging for more than three months now and it is the product of the actions of the BJP government, the statement also said.
Even as the chief minister proved thoroughly incompetent and reluctant to put an end to the violence, the Prime Minister prioritized his visits to France and the US over Manipur, the statement added.
The miserable response of the Prime Minister and the Union Home minister in Parliament exposed the bankruptcy in offering any comprehensive political solution to this crisis, it further alleged
On the conditions of the displaced people taking shelter at the relief camps, they stated that the situation is grim.
Across the valley and the hills, thousands of internally displaced persons live in desperate conditions. Basic services are lacking and the government has wiped its hands off the suffering people, they alleged in the written statement.
The undeclared blockade on the national highways has severely compromised the transport of essential commodities including basic relief food items, medicine affecting thousands of internally displaced people in the relief camps in hill districts, it also said.
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The relief camps in the valley are also shocking. It is learnt that only Rs 80 per person in addition to some rice and dal is given by the state government, which is grossly insufficient, the statement also said.
No proper facilities are being provided as observed by the team in the relief camp at Moirang in Bishnupur district.
In the Churachandpur relief camp, due to congestion infectious diseases like measles, chicken pox and viral fever are spreading, it stated.
The team also opined that resignation of Biren Singh as chief minister will mark the first step in the journey towards any feasible political solution to this humanitarian crisis.
At the same time, they appealed to the affected communities to cease all hostilities to ensure that the suffering masses in the relief camps can be properly taken care of as a gesture of moving forward from the conflict and towards a resolution to the present impasse.
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