India Rejects ‘Unwarranted and Misleading’ UN Expert Comments on Manipur Situation

New Delhi, India – India has firmly dismissed recent comments made by United Nations (UN) experts regarding the state of Manipur, categorizing them as “unwarranted, presumptive, and misleading.” The Indian government has asserted that the situation in the Northeastern state remains peaceful and stable, and it is committed to taking necessary measures to ensure continued peace and stability.

In a diplomatic note verbale delivered to the Special Procedures Branch of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Indian mission underscored its commitment to safeguarding the human rights of its citizens, including those in Manipur.

“The Permanent Mission of India categorically rejects the news release as not only unwarranted, presumptive, and misleading but also indicative of a complete lack of comprehension regarding the situation in Manipur and the steps taken by the Government of India to address it,” stated the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva.

India’s response follows a statement by a group of UN experts expressing concerns about “serious human rights violations and abuses” in Manipur. These alleged abuses include reports of sexual violence, extrajudicial killings, destruction of homes, forced displacement, torture, and ill-treatment.

In its rejection of the news release titled ‘India: UN experts alarmed by continuing abuses in Manipur,’ the Indian mission expressed disappointment and surprise that the Special Procedure Mandate Holders (SPMH) issued the press release without awaiting the Indian government’s response, as is customary, within the 60-day period following a joint communication issued on the same matter on August 29, 2023.

The Indian mission expressed the hope that SPMH would exercise greater objectivity in their assessments, basing their evaluations on factual information. It further urged SPMH to refrain from commenting on developments that fall outside the scope of their mandate and to adhere to established procedures for issuing news releases, including awaiting input from the Government of India before doing so.

India reiterated its status as a democratic nation with an unwavering commitment to the rule of law and the protection of human rights for its citizens. It emphasized that Indian law enforcement agencies and security forces operate in accordance with principles of legal certainty, necessity, proportionality, and non-discrimination when addressing law-and-order situations.

In their initial news release, UN experts expressed their shock at reports and images depicting gender-based violence targeting hundreds of women and girls, predominantly from the Kuki ethnic minority, in Manipur. Allegations included gang rapes, public humiliation, severe beatings leading to fatalities, and incidents of burning women alive or posthumously.

The experts also noted concerns about an “inadequate humanitarian response” in the face of the dire humanitarian situation in Manipur following a recent outbreak of communal conflict between the predominantly Hindu Meitei and predominantly Christian Kuki ethnic communities in May 2023.