Brussels (Agencies): The European Parliament on Thursday adopted a resolution that called on Indian authorities to take “all necessary” measures to promptly halt the ongoing ethnic and religious violence, protect all religious minorities such as Manipur’s Christian community, and pre-empt any further escalation.
The joint resolution was adopted on Thursday following recent violent clashes in the state of Manipur, India since May 2023 that left at least 120 people dead, 50 000 displaced, and over 1 700 houses and 250 churches destroyed.
The resolution noted that intolerance towards minority communities had contributed to the current violence and there were concerns about the politically motivated, divisive policies that promote Hindu majoritarianism in the area.
The Manipur state government has shut down internet connections and severely hindered reporting by the media, while security forces have been implicated in the recent killings, something that has further increased distrust in the authorities.
The members of the European Parliament called on the Indian authorities to allow independent investigations to look into the violence, tackle impunity and o lift the internet ban.
They also urged all conflicting sides to cease making inflammatory statements, re-establish trust and play an impartial role to mediate the tensions.
The Parliament reiterated its call for human rights to be integrated into all areas of the EU-India partnership, including trade.
The MEPs also advocated the EU-India Human Rights Dialogue to be reinforced and encouraged the EU and its member states to systematically and publicly raise human rights concerns, notably on freedom of expression, religion, and the shrinking space for civil society, with the Indian side at the highest level.