Jaishankar points to ‘impact of migrants’

NEW YORK, Sep 27
 External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar addressed the situation in India's North Eastern state of Manipur during a discussion at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, where he said, “If you ask me what is happening today in Manipur…One part of the problem in Manipur has been the destabilising impact of migrants who have come…There are also tensions that have a long history…The effort is on the part of the State Government and Union Government, to find a way by which a sense of normalcy returns.”
The Minister added that efforts are ongoing to bring a sense of normalcy.
Jaishankar stated that part of the problem stemmed from the destabilising impact of migrants in the region. Additionally, he noted historical tensions in Manipur that have contributed to the challenges faced by the State.
"The effort is on the part of the State Government and Union Government, to find a way by which a sense of normalcy returns," the Indian Foreign Minister affirmed. These efforts, Jaishankar said, include the recovery of seized arms and the enforcement of law and order to prevent incidents of violence.
UN experts' concerns and India's reply
In early September, United Nations experts raised the alarm about "reports of serious human rights violations and abuses in the North East State of Manipur in India, including alleged acts of sexual violence, extrajudicial killings, home destruction, forced displacement, torture and ill-treatment".
In a statement, they said that there is an “inadequate humanitarian response” in the Indian State of Manipur after May clashes between Meitei and the Kuki ethnic communities. However, India rubbished the statement and termed it "unwarranted, presumptive, and misleading."
It said that the commentary suggested a lack of understanding of the Manipur situation and the actions by India to tackle the issue.
Jaishankar, during his comments in New York, also reacted to the UN experts' statements. He said that the comments were presumptive. The law and order situation has once more become tense in Manipur. This comes in the wake of protests after two Meitei students were brutally murdered by suspected armed men. Manipur has been rocked by ethnic violence since May. Over 160 people have been killed while tens of thousands have been displaced. WION