The proscribed umbrella organisation Coordination Committee (CorCom) has extended well wishes with revolutionary salute and shared its message to the people of the state on the arrival of 73rd International Human Rights Day which falls on Friday.
The theme of this year’s International Human Rights Day is ‘All Human, All Equal’.
CorCom stated in a release issued by its media coordinator M Sak-hen on Thursday that the arrival of this day is a grim reminder of how the people of Manipur have been deprived of the right to equality, CorCom stated.
The forceful merger of Manipur into India in 1949 was a direct violation of the Article 1, Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), 1948 or United Nations Declaration on Human Rights (UNDHR), it stated. Article 1 states that ‘All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.’
This year’s theme which focuses on ‘Equality’ has rejuvenated the aspirations of the indigenous people towards Right to Self Determination (RSD) which had been kept denied to them. It may be mentioned that ‘Equality’ is one of the targeted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be achieved by 2030, CorCom further stated, adding the goal, ‘Leaving No One Behind: Equality and Non-Discrimination’ is among them.
The protection of indigenous people has been clearly mentioned under the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), 2007. In front of the world, India has been labeling every community settled in the country as ‘indigenous people’ and sending them over to the ‘Western South East Asia (WESEA)’ and attempting to wipe out the natives of this region, CorCom alleged.
On top of that, though being a signatory of UNDRIP, India has so far refrained itself from identifying the word ‘Indigenous’ in its own Constitution, it added. The attempts India has made to portray those fighting for the self-determination of Manipur as ‘terrorists’ shows its diabolical nature, it added.
The United Nations Charter as well as International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) 1966, has stated that RSD is the ‘Right of all Peoples’. As per Article 1 of ICCPR, ‘All Peoples have the Right of Self-Determination’, it added.
It has been clearly stated that ‘By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development’ and RSD has been recognised, CorCom further stated. On April 10, 1979, India had also willingly ratified the ICCPR which has rules for supporting the RSD, it added.
On the arrival of the International Human Rights Day, CorCom would like to state that the Indian leaders would not let this former independent nation regain its lost freedom easily. Therefore, there is a need to take united steps to reach the cherished goal and extend support to the self-determination movement against India, it stated.
To stand by one’s own and create an administration suitable to this place and its people is provided by the United Nation as a human right to the indigenous peoples. This right further allows us to create an economy, social administration and self-governance, it mentioned.
