NHRC tells Manipur govt to pay Rs 10 lakh compensation to kin of all those killed in ethnic violence in 4 weeks

Guwahati: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Friday said it has asked Manipur government to pay Rs 10 lakh compensation each within four weeks to the next of kin of all the people who died in ethnic clashes since May.

After completing its two-day camp here to hear cases from the northeastern states, NHRC also ordered the Manipur government to complete the assessment of damaged houses and pay Rs 10 lakh compensation to each of the victims within six weeks.

The rights body instructed the state government to clear the blockade on National Highways 2 and 37 passing through Manipur.

'We have been told that the next of kin of 93 persons, who died in the violence, have been given a compensation of Rs 10 lakh. We were told that 180 people were killed till a particular date.

'We have asked them to complete the process to pay compensation to the next of kin of the remaining people within four weeks and report to us,' NHRC chairperson Justice Arun Kumar Mishra said at a press conference here.

Regarding rebuilding of houses damaged during the violence, the commission directed the Manipur government to complete the assessment within six weeks for distributing the compensation as per the existing scheme, he added.

'The government is proposing a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for reconstruction of houses. They have been asked to complete this process so that reconstruction of houses begins soon,' Justice Mishra said.

Noting that violence is still continuing in some parts of Manipur, the NHRC asked the state government to prepare a roadmap to restore the situation and clear the blockade on the National Highway 2 and 37 as soon as possible, he added.

Justice Mishra further said the commission also heard a case related to the death of 57 people, injuries to 18 persons and missing of four due to negligence of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) while executing a project of construction of tunnels and railway tracks to connect Jiribam with Imphal.

'Poor condition of the district hospital in Churachandpur due to non-availability of basic facilities and complaints regarding incidences of violence in Manipur were also heard,' he added.

Along with Justice Mishra, NHRC members Dr Dnyaneshwar Manohar Mulay and Rajiv Jain, secretary general Bharat Lal, registrar (Law) Surajit Dey and senior officers also attended the camp.

More than 180 people lost their lives and several hundreds were injured since ethnic clashes broke out in Manipur on May 3, after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals -- Nagas and Kukis -- constitute little over 40 per cent and reside in the hill districts.