Manipur Govt Asks Assam Rifles To "Push Back" 718 Refugees From Myanmar

The Manipur government has expressed concern over the entry of 718 Myanmar nationals, including 301 children, into India without proper travel documents between July 22 and 23. They have requested a detailed report from the Assam Rifles, the border guarding force, to clarify how this happened.

Manipur's Chief Secretary, Vineet Joshi, communicated to the Assam Rifles, reminding them that similar issues had arisen in the past, and the State government had clearly instructed them to take strict action to prevent the entry of Myanmar nationals into Manipur without valid visa/travel documents, in line with the Ministry of Home Affairs' instructions from the Government of India.

According to the Assam Rifles' report to the Deputy Comissioner of Chandel district, 718 refugees crossed the Indo-Myanmar border and entered Manipur through Chandel district on July 23, citing the ongoing clashes at Khampat as the reason for their migration, reported Hindustan Times.

The situation has raised concerns, and the Manipur government is seeking answers from the Assam Rifles to understand how such a large number of individuals managed to enter India without the required travel documentation.

“…State Government has sought detailed report from Assam Rifles Authority to' clarify on the facts and compelling circumstances/reasons, as to why and how these 718 Myanmar nationals were allowed to enter Into India In Chandel District without proper travel documents; along with strict advice to push back those 718 Illegal Myanmar nationals immediately,” Joshi said.

He further added, “The Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent or Police or Chandel District have also been advised to oversee the Implementation or the above and also keep biometrics and photographs of all such persons".

SC Asks Centre & State To Act

The Supreme Court expressed deep concern on Thursday over a video that surfaced, showing two women being paraded naked in strife-torn Manipur. The bench, led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, directed both the Centre and the Manipur government to take immediate remedial, rehabilitative, and preventive measures in response to the video. The court, also consisting of Justices P S Narasimha and Manoj Misra, considered the visuals shown in the media as evidence of gross constitutional violation and a breach of human rights.

The Chief Justice emphasized that using women as instruments to perpetrate violence in a region facing communal strife is utterly unacceptable in a constitutional democracy. Expressing strong displeasure at the incident, the bench ordered the government to take prompt action to address the situation. They requested affidavits from the Union Home Secretary and the Chief Secretary for the State of Manipur, outlining the steps taken to hold the perpetrators accountable and prevent such incidents from happening in the future.

The court acknowledged that the video was from May 4, but highlighted that the timing does not diminish its significance. It urged the government to act swiftly and efficiently to ensure justice and prevent any repetition of such acts. The Attorney General R Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta were summoned to the court to explain what actions had been taken since May to address the issue and to prevent its recurrence.

Mehta, agreeing with the court's concern, assured the bench that the government is taking the matter seriously and will update the court on the actions taken against the culprits. Pending pleas related to ethnic violence in Manipur were also taken into account by the bench and scheduled for a hearing on July 28. The incident, which came to light through the video on Wednesday, has sparked tension in the hills of Manipur, with the distressing visuals drawing nationwide attention and condemnation.

A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud directed the Centre and Manipur government to take immediate remedial, rehabilitative and preventive steps and apprise it of the action taken, as per a report in The Print.

"The court is deeply disturbed by the visuals which have appeared in the media since yesterday depicting the perpetration of sexual assault and violence on women in Manipur. What is portrayed in the media would indicate gross constitutional violations and infractions of human rights. Using women as instruments for perpetrating violence is simply unacceptable in a constitutional democracy," the bench said in its order.

Also Read: Manipur Violence: SC Asks Centre & State To Act Over Viral Video, Calls It "Unacceptable"