Commission of inquiry on Meitei-Kuki ethnic conflict visits relief camps

Guwahati: The chairman and members of the Commission of Inquiry (Manipur Violence), 2023 relating to the Meitei-Kuki ethnic conflict are on a three-day visit to the state from May 29.The commission was constituted on June 4, 2023. The Centre recently extended the tenure of the commission, pushing the deadline for submission of its report to Nov 20.The team, led by Justice (retd.) B.S. Chauhan, includes retired IAS officer Himanshu Sekhar Das and retired IPS officer Aloka Prabhakar.On Saturday morning, the team met chief minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh and briefed him about their visit. During their stay, they inspected relief camps for internally displaced persons in Bishnupur, Churachandpur, Imphal West and Imphal East districts.The commission was constituted by the Centre in June 2023 under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952 to probe the ethnic violence that broke out in Manipur on May 3, 2023. Its mandate includes examining the causes of the unrest, the sequence of events, and whether there were lapses in administrative response. It is also tasked with recommending measures to prevent recurrence and restore lasting peace.Initially chaired by Justice (retd.) Ajai Lamba, the Commission later came under the leadership of Justice BS Chauhan.The commission has been holding hearings, collecting testimonies, and visiting affected districts since its formation.