Human rights abuses in Manipur

Human rights abuses in Manipur
Location of Manipur (highlighted in red)
Location	Manipur, India
Date	Ongoing
Target	Civilians and combatants
Perpetrators	Indian security forces Separatist insurgents
Motive	Military clampdown

Human rights abuses in Manipur, a state in northeastern India, have been an ongoing issue. As per the Manipur natives, the Indian security forces have committed several human rights violations in the state while suppressing a separatist insurgency in the region. The insurgent groups have been known to kidnap and recruit children to work as child soldiers against the Indian government.

However, it has been concluded by many analysts that part of the strategy of insurgent groups involves provoking Manipur's natives to falsely accuse the Indian security forces of human rights abuses. As per the crime records, the majority of human rights abuses has been committed by insurgent groups.

Despite many attempts by Indian government to facilitate the development in the state, the state had failed in gaining the advantages for many reasons. Behind the poor condition of the state has been the ignorance of Manipur's peoples towards Indian Government and demands of separate nation. On many occasions the government officials including Engineers and Administrators posted in North-Eastern regions were killed and had been attacked by the insurgent groups, hampering of adequate manpower required for the development of infrastructure. Yet the government of India and the state Government taking many initiatives to take control of the situation.

The attacks on the Government officials and peoples from outside the region are still carried out by Terrorist groups and had been said that it is firmly supported by local peoples, is hampering the overall growth of the Human resources that is needed for the development of the region.

A separatist insurgency began in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur in 1964, although momentum to a more violent phase did not occur until 1978. The Separatists demand a sovereign state separate from the Union of India, conceding their grievances over lack of development, plundering of local resources and a general discontent in Manipur. Human Rights Watch, argues that human rights violations by Indian Security Forces have only fuelled the insurgency. It adds that the Indian Army have at times acted with impunity as anti-terrorism laws in the state make prosecution of human rights violators difficult.