Reported by Bit Irom
Imphal: Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Thursday called for stronger protection of children’s rights and welfare, as official figures showed that more than 12,000 displaced children continue to live in relief camps following the ethnic violence that erupted in the state in May 2023.
Marking the International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression, the Chief Minister said the government remained committed to safeguarding the rights, dignity and well-being of children.
According to the Department of Social Welfare, over 12,000 displaced children are currently residing in relief camps across the state. The ethnic conflict that began on May 2023, displaced around 60,000 people, with many requiring treatment for trauma and malnutrition.
The appeal comes amid growing concerns over child safety in the violence-hit state.
Recent reports by the Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MCPCR) and Manipur Police have highlighted a series of incidents involving children, including the killing of two minor siblings in Bishnupur district, the murder of an eight-year-old displaced girl and a rise in offences registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The child rights commission had strongly condemned the killing of two siblings — an infant and a five-year-old child in Bishnupur, an incident that triggered protests in parts of the state.
In another case, an eight-year-old girl who had gone missing from a relief camp was later found dead in Imphal East district, leading to calls for stronger child protection measures.
Separately, a special POCSO court recently sentenced a 48-year-old man to imprisonment for the remainder of his life for the aggravated penetrative sexual assault of his minor daughter.
Reports from the state women’s commission and child rights bodies have also pointed to a rise in suicides among minors and underreported sexual crimes, which officials have linked to social stigma, displacement and post-conflict trauma.
In a Facebook post, the Chief Minister said the day served as a reminder of the collective responsibility to ensure that children grow up in an environment free from violence, conflict and fear.