IMPHAL: The violence in the Northeast state of Manipur is back on the table of the United Nations (UN).
UN human rights commissioner Volker Türk raised the issue of Manipur violence while speaking at the 54th session of UN Human Rights Council on Monday (September 11).
“In Manipur, other communities have also been facing violence and insecurity since May. More than 200 people have died and over 70,000 people have been displaced,” Türk said.
This statement from the UN human rights chief came just days after India raised strong objection to observations made by the United Nations human rights experts’ panel on Manipur.
Notably, the Manipur government has been maintaining that the situation in the Northeast state is improving.
Also read: Manipur violence: Three killed in firing by armed miscreants
Not only Manipur, the UN human rights chief also highlighted the recent violent communal clashes in parts of Haryana, including Nuh, which claimed at least seven lives last month.
Volker Türk has urged India to ‘redouble’ its efforts to protect and uphold the rights of the minorities in the country.
“…marginalised minority communities are subjected to violence and discrimination. Muslims are often the target of such attacks, most recently in Haryana and Gurugram, in northern India,” said Türk.
He said that there is a “clear need to redouble efforts to uphold the rights of all minorities, by dealing in a forthright manner with intolerance, hate speech, religious extremism and discrimination”.
The UN human rights chief was also critical towards Pakistan and China.
He raised concerns over Pakistan government’s decision to consider amending its blasphemy laws to increase penalties.
He also highlighted the series of churches and Christian domes vandalised in Faisalabad, by mob, indicating the plight of minorities in Pakistan.