3,200+ activists and citizens from across India Appeal to President to
visit Manipur and safeguard rights of violated Kuki-Zo women

Request her to ensure accountability of all authorities and restoration of peace and justice in the strife-torn state

23 rd July, 2023: National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), along with over 3,200 +
activists, academics, artists, retired bureaucrats and concerned citizens, many representing
hundreds of movements and organizations from across the country issued a fervent and
urgent Appeal to Madam Draupadi Murmu, Hon’ble President of India, seeking her
immediate intervention, in the very grave circumstances of Manipur, requesting her to
visit the state and assure justice to all the violated people, in particular the Kuki Zo women
who have faced immense sexual, physical and mental violence

.
Some of the signatories to the Appeal include Dr. Roop Rekha Verma, Medha Patkar, Harsh
Mander, Prof. Virginius Xaxa, Ruth Manorama, Meena Kandasamy, Dr. Gabriele Dietrich,
Prafulla Samantara, Elina Horo, SR Darapuri, Prof. Sandeep Pandey, Agnes Kharshiing,
Holiram Terang, Prof. Rama Melkote, Jitendra Paswan, Ramarao Dora, Anant Phadke, Kalyani
Menon Sen, Kavitha Kuruganti, Ulka Mahajan, Deepa Pawar, Diana, Tavers, Dr. Maroona
Murmu, Nalini Nayak, Tshering Chopel Lepcha, Gautam Mody, Henri Tiphagne,
Sugathakumari, Romita Reang, Madhu Bhushan, Kamayani Bali Mahabal, Steffi Lawbei, Manshi Asher, Aquila Khan, Priyanka Samy, Lalita Ramdas, Nandita Narain, Shaktiman Ghosh, Abhirami, Raina, Syed Ali
Nadeem and many others.

The Appeal decried the role of the Central and State Government, which has not only failed to
restore normalcy to the burning state since 3 months, but has infact been complicit in deepening ethnic tensions and enabling majoritarian violence, leading to gross human rights abuses. It called for a comprehensive and time-bound judicial inquiry to ensure due legal process and accountability of violators and authorities, not only in the ‘viral’ case of sexual violence andmurders, but in hundreds of other cases, as admitted by the Chief Minister Mr. Biren Singh,himself.

The signatories felt that given their colossal failure, the Union Home Minister and
the Chief Minister of Manipur must be asked to immediately step down, owning moral and
legal responsibility.
Amongst other things, the Appeal also urges the President to uphold the rights and safety of all vulnerable sections, especially the tribal women and ensure that there is no unconstitutional andunfair change in the list of Scheduled Tribes. The President has also been requested to hold back assent to regressive amendments to forest laws that would have far-reaching adverse impact onforest cover and forest-dwelling communities, in North-East and across India.
The full appeal is below and the Appeal along with list of all signatories is attached as a PDF
File.
Issued by: National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM)