CorCom calls for renewed commitment to Human Rights on the occasion of International Human Rights Day, alleges historical atrocities in Manipur

In connection with the International Human Rights Day, the Coordination Committee (CorCom) issued a detailed statement mentioning that December 10 remains one of the most significant days in modern human history and urged the people of Manipur (Kangleipak) to reflect on the meaning of the day from the perspective of the region’s political experience. It mentioned that International Human Rights Day has been observed throughout the world since December 10, 1948, when the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights shortly after the founding of the UN in 1945. According to CorCom, the Declaration emerged from the collective resolve of the global community to ensure that the horrors of World War II would never recur and the dignity of human beings must be protected everywhere.
CorCom said the day still reminds humanity of the commitment to justice and equality in peace and that many are not yet aware of the deep meaning of December 10. It claimed that the Declaration was no ordinary document but a robust charter of the globe highlighting the principle that all humans are born free and equal and must live with dignity, free from fear or discrimination. The organization believed that the reason behind this international observation is to ensure that all nations respect fundamental freedoms, protect individuals from abuses, and work in concert toward a harmonious world.
The Coordinating Committee of Revolutionary Organisation, CorCom, drawing attention to the Manipur-specific context or Kangleipak as it prefers to call it, strongly asserted that the historical and political developments of the region make the day particularly meaningful. It again claimed, as it has consistently done in the past, that the merger of Manipur with India in 1949, which was done without the people’s mandate, led to a negation of sovereignty. This was the beginning of political repression, social unrest and human rights challenges for successive decades, according to the organisation.
It claimed that this constitutes a violation of Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter-which prohibits all members of the United Nations from using force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. As it sees it, the aftermath of the merger left indelible impacts on the lives, dignity and freedom of the people of Manipur.
It further stated that the people of Manipur have faced serious human rights concerns for over seven decades now, largely due to what it termed as militarisation, political suppression, and unresolved conflicts. CorCom maintained that the state’s geographical location in a geopolitically sensitive region had been used as an excuse for many measures adopted in the name of national security. It asserted that such measures led to rampant violation of civil liberty and fundamental rights.
Among the most crucial issues highlighted by the organisation was the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, which it termed one of the most repressive laws imposed in the region. CorCom alleged that the said law had enabled extensive violations such as enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, custodial torture, harassment, and intimidation. It contended that the Act gave unbridled and unchecked powers to the armed forces while promoting a pervasive climate of fear and an environment where frequently, justice is denied. The organisation further asserted that the continued use of AFSPA had ensured that instead of a conflict resolving or the restoration of peace, there was only the creation of a climate of distrust and trauma.
It also referred to what it termed “genocides” committed in Manipur, listing several prominent incidents. It cited the incident at Heirangoithong on March 14, 1984, during a volleyball match watched by hundreds of spectators. A grenade exploded, and the organisation said Central Reserve Police Force personnel fired indiscriminately, even hurling grenades, killing 13 civilians and injuring 33 others. It further stated that an attempt was made to conceal the incident by clearing the bodies and dumping them into the Nambul River. CorCom said many observers had compared the incident to the My Lai massacre during the Vietnam War.
Another incident cited was Operation Bluebird of 1987, carried out following an attack on an Assam Rifles post at Oinam village in which nine Assam Rifles personnel were killed. CorCom alleged that the retaliatory operation lasted nearly three months across more than 30 villages and resulted in severe human rights abuses. According to the organisation, twelve civilians were killed and six children died from starvation due to confinement and denial of food. It claimed that more than 312 villagers were tortured, while homes, churches, granaries and paddy fields were destroyed. The organisation also alleged that livestock was slaughtered, women were assaulted and mothers were compelled to give birth without medical assistance.
CorCom further referred to the 1995 incident at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) and alleged that on January 7 of that year, security personnel opened fire on the civilians on the campus, killing nine people, including a medical student from Arunachal Pradesh studying under the WESEA quota. It said that the firing occurred during an attempt to catch suspected militants but resulted in indiscriminate shooting of unarmed civilians.
These and other incidents, according to CorCom, collectively established a pattern of what the organization termed mass atrocities committed with protection afforded by AFSPA and other security laws. The organisation said that decades of militarization had subjected the Manipur people to serious psychological trauma, unaddressed grievances and unabated fear. Many families, the organisation said, continued to seek justice over incidents of arbitrary arrest, custodial violence and killings, but most cases remained unresolved.
In its statement, CoC emphasized that International Human Rights Day should make the Manipur people reflect upon their own history and the events that shaped the present. It called upon the public to mark the day with sincerity and responsibility, arguing on the platform that December 10 means more than mere symbolic observance of the day. The people have to understand the root cause of their present situation and acknowledge unity as the way to demand justice and dignity.
CorCom also appealed to the international community, stating that India’s continued control over Manipur and the alleged denial of the people’s right to determine their political future were contradictory to the principles of the UDHR. It urged global institutions, human rights bodies, and international observers to take note of what it described as the long-standing human rights situation in Manipur.
The organisation said the values articulated in the UDHR provide a pathway for the people of Manipur to uphold their historic identity and rightful place in the global community. It called for all sections of society—youth, elders, civil organisations and intellectuals—to join hands in the shared duty of safeguarding their land and people. According to the organisation, the struggle for human rights in Manipur needs to be furthered with added vigour, especially as the region marks International Human Rights Day for the 76th year since the adoption of the UDHR.
CorCom stated that December 10 should also be a call for sure action, not just one of remembrance. It reiterated the need to unite all people of Manipur and to stand in solidarity with all the oppressed communities of the world, since the future of the land depends upon collective commitment, moral clarity, and unwavering dedication to justice and dignity.