Manipur violence: Shah announces separate judicial, CBI probes (Ld)

Imphal, June 1 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday announced a judicial probe into the month-long ethnic violence in Manipur by a retired High Court Chief Justice and CBI probe into six specific conspiracy cases.

After a four-day visit to strife-torn Manipur, the Home Minister said that a high-level peace committee headed by Governor Anusuiya Uikey would be formed and people from all sections and communities, including Meitei and Kuki communities would be included in the committee.

"The judicial inquiry and the CBI probe into the six specific conspiracy cases would be closely monitored by the central government," Shah told the media in Imphal before leaving for New Delhi after a four-day visit to the restive Manipur.

He said that a joint security command headed by Chief Security Advisor to Manipur Kuldiep Singh (Retired IPS officer and former CRPF Chief) would be formed and it would impartially conduct all the security related operations.

The Home Minister announced that a Joint Secretary and five director level officers would be posted in Manipur by the central government to supervise and to deal with all the issues and actions in the ongoing Manipur crisis.

The Centre would provide an additional 30,000 MT of rice besides taking all out efforts for uninterrupted supply of petrol, diesel, cooking gas, essentials, vegetables and all other required items.

Issuing a stern warning to the Kuki militants, who signed a Suspension of Operation agreement on August 22, 2008 with the government, the Home Minister said that the security forces would take strictest actions against the Kuki militants if they violate the provisions of the pact.

"The ongoing border fencing work along the India-Myanmar border (400 km) with Manipur would be expedited to prevent cross border movement of militants and inimical elements," he said, adding that there are apprehensions that the porous border is being used for drug smuggling and for movement of militants.

Noting that a permanent solution to the India-Myanmar border issue, the Home Minister said that the fencing along the border between the two countries need to be completed at the earliest.

He said biometrics of people coming from neighbouring countries are being collected.

Initiative would be taken to set up a circuit bench of the Manipur High Court in the tribal dominated Tengnoupal, Kangpokpi and Churachandpur districts for speedy trial of cases.

He announced that supply of essential items in the hill areas would be ensured and helicopter services would be conducted for emergency needs in Churachandpur, Moreh and Kangpokpi districts.

Announcing that compensation of Rs 10 lakh with Centre and state government's equal share would be given to the next of kin of the deceased, the home Minister said that a Relief and Rehabilitation Package would be announced by the central government within a day or two for all the violence affected families in Manipur.

Shah said that the Central government would send six medical teams to provide medical support to the injured people and those living in the relief camps. Announcing that special arrangements, including online systems, would be initiated for the violence hit students in Manipur, the Home Minister said that all possible steps would be taken so that the students of all levels in the state do not face any kind of academic problems.

Shah claimed that after BJP, which came to power in Manipur six years ago, had ensured the northeastern state had remained free of road blockades, bandhs, curfews, and other disturbances till the recent spell of ethnic clashes, which he described as the result of a misunderstanding after a High Court order.

"Dialogue among the cross section of the communities is the only solution to the ongoing crisis in Manipur," he pointed out.

The Union Home Minister, who arrived in violence-hit Manipur on Monday, visited Churachand Pur, Imphal East and Imphal West, Tengnoupal and Kangpokpi districts and held over two dozen meetings with Governor, Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, top security officials, around 40 civil society organisations, women and youths bodies, prominent tribal leaders, retired security officials, intellectuals.

Shah, who also held an all-party meeting with 11 political parties in Imphal, directed the heads of all security agencies to take stern and swift actions against armed miscreants to prevent violence and recover looted weapons to bring back normalcy in Manipur at the earliest.