Imphal, May 31 (IANS) The Chairman and members of the Commission of Inquiry (Manipur Violence), constituted on June 4, 2023, to investigate the Meitei-Kuki ethnic conflict, are currently on a three-day visit to the state, officials said on Saturday.

The Judicial Commission, comprising retired Justice B.S. Chauhan as Chairman and its two members — Himanshu Sekhar Das, IAS (Retd.), and Aloka Prabhakar, IPS (Retd.) — held discussions with Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh and briefed him on the objectives and progress of their visit.

An official from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said that during their three-day visit from May 29 to 31, the Commission members have already visited relief camps housing Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) affected by the ethnic violence in Bishnupur, Churachandpur, Imphal West and Imphal East districts.

As part of the field visit, the Commission inspected the prefabricated relief camp at Torbung in Churachandpur district.

During the visit, the Commission interacted directly with camp inmates, listening to first-hand accounts of displacement, hardship and concerns arising from the ethnic violence.

The displaced families shared their experiences, challenges and expectations regarding rehabilitation, security and government support.

The interaction provided an opportunity for camp residents to articulate their grievances, living conditions and aspirations before the inquiry panel, enabling the Commission to gain a deeper understanding of the ground realities faced by those affected by the conflict.

Officials said the visit forms part of the Commission’s ongoing efforts to gather first-hand evidence and ensure that the inquiry remains firmly rooted in the lived experiences of affected communities across both the hill and valley districts.

Commission Secretary Mohan Lal Meena and Commissioner (Home) N. Ashok Kumar accompanied the Commission during the visits.

Deputy Commissioner Dharun Kumar S., Additional Deputy Commissioner Seiminthang Lenthang, SDO Churachandpur Anunay Anand, SDO Kangvai Mangminthang Gangte, and SDO Tuibong Jangminlen Lupho were also present and accompanied the inquiry team during its interactions and inspections.

Meanwhile, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) recently extended the tenure of the Commission, pushing the deadline for submission of its final report to November 20, 2026.

The three-member Commission has been mandated to examine the causes of the unrest, trace the sequence of events that led to the violence, assess whether there were any lapses in the administrative response, and identify factors that contributed to the escalation of the conflict.

In addition, the Commission has been tasked with recommending measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents, strengthen public confidence and facilitate the restoration of lasting peace and normalcy in the state.

The inquiry panel was initially headed by Justice (Retd.) Ajai Lamba, former Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court.

Subsequently, the leadership of the Commission was taken over by Justice B.S. Chauhan.

Since its formation, the Commission has been conducting hearings, recording testimonies of stakeholders and affected persons, collecting evidence, and undertaking visits to violence-affected districts as part of its efforts to complete a comprehensive inquiry into the ethnic conflict.

–IANS

sc/pgh