UKHRUL: The Kuki Human Rights Council (KHRC) has criticised the uninvited visit of Meitei BJP MLA Yumnam Khemchand Singh to the Litan Sareikhong relief camp for Kuki IDPs on Monday.
In a release, the KHRC said the MLA arrived at the camp without prior information or approval from camp authorities or Kuki organisations. The group said the visit, made with security personnel, came at a time when most adult inmates had gone out for work, leaving only women, children and elderly persons inside the camp.
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Camp officials also said they were not informed and did not consent to the visit. They noted that no representatives of local Kuki bodies were present during the MLA’s stop at the camp.
The KHRC said the visit caused discomfort among displaced families who are still coping with the effects of the ongoing violence. It added that any engagement with IDP camps should follow protocol and be done in consultation with community bodies.
The KHRC reiterated its long-standing position that issues concerning Kuki safety, land and administrative rights must be addressed before any claims of normalcy can be made. It also stated that movement into Kuki-administered or buffer-zone areas should take place only with the consent of local authorities.
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The KHRC said it will continue to advocate for the rights of Kuki IDPs as discussions on future administrative arrangements continue.