NEW DELHI: To investigate the most recent acts of violence in Manipur, the Central government has established a three-member Commission of Inquiry. The team, which comprises former IAS officers Himanshu Shekhar Das and Aloka Prabhakar, will be led by the former Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court, Ajai Lamba. The change happened in spite of Home Minister Amit Shah's "sincere appeal" to the residents of the northeastern state.
“My sincerest appeal to the people of Manipur is to lift the blockades at the Imphal-Dimapur, NH-2 Highway, so that food, medicines, Petrol/Diesel, and other necessary items can reach the people. I also request that Civil Society Organisations do the needful in bringing consensus. Together only we can restore normalcy in this beautiful state," Amit Shah tweeted.
A peace commission and an inter-agency unified command for greater coordination were also announced during the senior politician's visit to Manipur last week.
According to a statement from the government, the Commission will look into the "cause and spread of the violence and riots targeting members of different communities" that occurred on May 3 and later, as well as the timeline of what happened. "Not later than six months from the date of its first sitting," they must submit their report to the Centre.
'Tribal Solidarity March' protesting the Meitei community's desire for Scheduled Tribe (ST) designation was staged in the hill areas at the beginning of May, which sparked the first outbreak of ethnic violence. Conflict over the eviction of Kuki people from reserve forest area, which had sparked a number of minor protests, had existed before to the violence.
The number of deaths from the riots has now surpassed 80, and there has been intermittent violence in the weeks thereafter.
'Tribal Solidarity March' protesting the Meitei community's desire for Scheduled Tribe (ST) designation was staged in the hill areas at the beginning of May, which sparked the first outbreak of ethnic violence. Conflict over the eviction of Kuki people from reserve forest area, which had sparked a number of minor protests, had existed before to the violence.
The number of deaths from the riots has now surpassed 80, and there has been intermittent violence in the weeks thereafter.
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