The Manipur Human Rights Commission (MHRC) acting chairperson Khaidem Mani on Wednesday expressed distress over delay in secretary M Yaiskul Meitei joining the commisison despite the transfer on May 31, 2022.
The MHRC acting chairperson was speaking on the occasion of the MHRC Foundation Day 2022 observed at ADR conference hall, Lamphel, Imphal West. He said that it has been 27 days since the transfer order was issued, but Yaiskul is yet to join the commission.
In his speech, Mani highlighted the background of the commission and reflected on how it was constituted in Manipur in 1998.
Mani said that he had always appealed to the masses to approach the state human rights commission for addressing their human rights grievances instead of resorting to agitations and protests. However, the people are very weak to sue or complain about their rights violation to the commission, he said.
"Human rights are inherent to all human beings as a birth right and no one can violate it”, said Mani and he asserted that anyone can approach the commission for any rights violation.
The third commission, under the acting chairperson Khaidem Mani, assumed its office on August 2018 and at present, it has received more than 800 cases, he said.
Human Rights Alert executive director Babloo Loitongbam said that after the establishment of MHRC in the state on 1998, there were two phases which were led by Yambem Laba and Nongyai and the present is the third phase. The commission was defunct for many years, and was re-established in 2018, he said.
“Between those years, there was the highest number of extra-judicial killings,” said Babloo. Those days, it was like the state government had no interest in protecting human rights. At the same time, the defunct MHRC made the victims live in false hope, he said.
The 24th MHRC foundation day was attended by MHRC official, staffs and invitees.
