Amid nationwide outrage over a viral video showing two women being paraded naked by a mob in violence-hit Manipur, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's special envoy for freedom of religion or belief, MP Fiona Bruce, raised concerns around the continuing "pre-mediated" violence in Manipur in the House of Commons.
"Since early May alone, hundreds of churches have been destroyed, burned to the ground; over 100 people have been killed and over 50,000 displaced, schools and seminaries also targeted in what looks like systematic and pre-mediated attacks with religion a key factor. Yet, religion a key factor. What can Church of England do to draw more attention to their cries," Bruce asked referring to a report produced by former BBC reporter David Campanale, for the International Religious Freedom of Brief Alliance, which Bruce chairs.
The report which includes testimonies of survivors and eyewitnesses states that “the scale of the destruction of religious places of worship deserve far wider attention." MP Andrew Selous, representing the church commissioners at the debate said that the report will be brought to the Archbishop's attention. Campanale's report recommends the Indian government “send sufficient national army units to protect tribal villages" and called for greater access to journalists and that internet services be restored.
The remarks come days after the sexual harassment of two tribal women in Manipur came to light. The European Parliament earlier adopted a motion on the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur, denouncing “in the strongest terms nationalistic rhetoric deployed by leading members of the BJP party” – a move that New Delhi termed as an “unacceptable interference” in the internal affairs of India.
Some of the motions tabled in the EU Parliament by six parliamentary groups, criticised the Modi government’s handling of the two-month-long violence in the state. "There have been concerns about politically motivated, divisive policies promoting Hindu majoritarianism, and about an increase in activity by militant groups," the joint resolution stated. It further condemned the state government's decision to impose curfew and curtail internet access which "severely hinders information-gathering and reporting by the media and civil society groups."
