MHRC, MCPCR, MSCW take up case for IDPs

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jan 29 : The Manipur Human Rights Commission (MHRC) is set to submit a recommendation to the Chief Secretary, Director General of Police and Commissioners of different departments to address the problems being faced by internally displaced people.
The recommendations have to be submitted within five days based on the observations made during the first camp sitting cum stakeholders consultation meeting of Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MCPCR), MHRC and Manipur State Commission for Women for Bishnupur district held at Bishnupur Mini Secretariat on January 13 as per a joint report of the three Commissions.
Some observations which the State Commissions made during the camp sitting are lack of coordination between district administration and IDP camp management committees, non availability of prescribed medicines and safe drinking water, exposing of women and children to threats among others.
As a first step to deliver justice to the IDPs, the State Commissions recommended establishment of at least two residential schools in every district where there are IDP camps.
The Commissions also recommended provision of transport facilities for the displaced students in the interim i.e before the establishments of the residential schools.
On health care, the State Commissions directed the Health Commissioner  and the Health Director to re-examine the essential drug list  and ensure availability of prescribed medicines to the IDPs.
Speaking to the media in this regard on behalf of the three Commissions at Palace Compound, MHRC member K Khagendra said that the  camp sitting cum stakeholders consultation meeting of the State commissions held at Bishnupur discussed the problems being faced by internally displaced persons (IDPs) in health care, education, law and order etc. in the presence of  Bishnupur DC, District Level Officers (DLOs) and NGO representatives.
Saying that one of the issues which need immediate attention of the Government is the education sector, he added that the displaced children must be provided books free of cost.
The Government must  implement the recommendations of the Commissions, he said.
Saying that Bishnupur is one of the severely affected districts in the Manipur crisis, Khagendra maintained that there are nearly 2,000 displaced children in Bishnupur alone.
Urging the Government to explore the possibilities for establishing at least two residential schools in each district where IDP camps are opened , he said that the Transport department must also provide transport facilities to the displaced students.
On health care, the MHRC  member said that they have sent a recommendation to the Health Director to ensure the IDPs have  access to prescribed  medicines.
Saying that the Government  must re-examine essential drug lists and ensure those medicines which are required by IDPs be made available to them, he added that the Health Commissioner and the Health Director must work on the recommendations to ensure the well-being of IDPs.
He also advised the district administration  to continue engagement with credible NGOs which can provide insights and data on human rights of IDPs.
Urging the law enforcement agencies to consider children engaged by armed groups and organisations as "children in need of care and protections," he suggested that appeals be made to all stakeholders including non-state actors for safe release of children engaged by armed groups. The Commissions will send a  recommendation to the Chief Secretary and the DGP to collect action taken reports or proposed to be taken pertaining to the killing, kidnapping, right to education, right to health etc from district administrations and Superintendents of Police without further delay, he added. MCPCR Chairperson K Pradipkumar also attended the press briefing.