Delhi Meetei group calls human rights body’s book on Manipur conflict ‘one-sided’

The Delhi Meetei Coordinating Committee (DMCC) on August 29 criticised a recent book published by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), claiming it offered a one-sided account of the Manipur conflict while overlooking the experiences of the Meetei community.

Speaking at a press conference, senior journalist and DMCC convener Seram Rojesh said the committee had submitted multiple documents and testimonies highlighting incidents faced by Meeteis, but none were included in the book. He also noted that references to important cultural and sacred sites connected to the community were missing.

Rojesh added that when student groups had earlier raised concerns about issues such as drug trafficking and cross-border tensions, their efforts were “dismissed in the book under a negative light.”

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Women’s rights activist Elizabeth, who also spoke at the event, pointed out that instances of sexual violence were mentioned only briefly, despite detailed testimonies shared by victims. “Such incidents deserved more attention, especially as people nationally and globally are reading this book,” she said.

She further highlighted that communities in Manipur had historically lived peacefully together, but unrest had strained relationships. “There were cases where people could not get help from neighbours during the violence,” she noted.

Committee members said they plan to engage with intellectuals and civil society groups to present what they described as “the other side of the narrative.” They emphasised that their goal was not to discredit any organisation but to ensure all perspectives are fairly represented in documenting the conflict.