Spokesperson of Coordination Committee on Manipur Integrity and Vice-President of International Peace and Social Advancement, Khuraijam Athouba, presented his intervention in person at the regular session for the third time during the ongoing 55th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland on March 22, 2024.
Khuraijam Athouba delivered his intervention in relation to General Debate Agenda Item-5, focusing on Human Rights Bodies and Mechanisms.
The transcript of his statement is as follows:
“Mr. President,
India’s Northeast region’s fragile geopolitical position, compounded by an unaccounted illegal influx from Myanmar due to ongoing unrest, has severely disrupted inter-ethnic harmony. This situation has led to a significant deterioration of human rights and peaceful coexistence among ethnic communities.
The surge in cross-border movements has further destabilized the region, with a majority of refugees seeking sanctuary in India’s Northeast regions and engaging in all forms of illicit activities encroaching on reserved forest areas. The confiscation of unlimited drugs and arms from the region in the recent year is alarming: $18 billion worth of drugs seized in Manipur, $16.88 billion in Assam, and $1.6 billion in Mizoram, all originating from Myanmar.
Additionally, extensive opium poppy cultivation in Manipur, particularly by immigrant groups, has reached unprecedented levels. To date, almost 18 thousand acres have been destroyed. This has led to massive deforestation, degrading the environment, and threatening the survival of indigenous populations.
Acknowledgment of foreign terror networks’ involvement in the ongoing Manipur violence in the Indian Parliament underscores the gravity of the situation. The Home Minister has attributed the ongoing violence to illegal immigration and narcotics from across the border.
I appeal to this council to convene relevant human rights forums and implement necessary mechanisms to safeguard fundamental human rights and ensure the security of indigenous peoples by:
- Strengthening cross-border cooperation to combat illicit drug and arms trafficking.
- Supporting sustainable alternative livelihoods to discourage poppy cultivation and mitigate environmental degradation.
- Facilitating international cooperation to address the involvement of foreign terror networks in regional violence.
Thank you.”
A press statement from the Media Coordinator of COCOMI, Imphal, informed that Khuraijam Athouba will be attending a few more sessions during the ongoing sessions under the aegis of COCOMI and IPSA.
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