MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on India, the situation in Manipur

11.7.2023 - (2023/2781(RSP))

with request for inclusion in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 144 of the Rules of Procedure

Miguel Urbán Crespo
on behalf of The Left Group

NB: This motion for a resolution is available in the original language only.

B9‑0334/2023

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on India, the situation in Manipur

(2023/2781(RSP))

The European Parliament,

- having regard to Rule 144 of its Rules of Procedure,

A. Whereas Indian government escalated its systematic discrimination and stigmatization on religious and national minorities, particularly Muslims; whereas political leaders and public authorities explicitly advocated hatred towards these minorities with impunity; whereas peaceful protesters defending minority rights were stigmatised;

B. whereas following a protest organised against a High Court decision, inter-ethnic clashes erupted in Manipur; whereas the majority community has had the support of the government; whereas authorities´ response has stoked ethnic divisions and has tried to present the conflict as a religious conflict; whereas those critical of government's actions are criminalised; whereas over 130 people have been killed and nearly 60,000 displaced;

C. whereas authorities are also restricting free expression, peaceful assembly, and other basic rights in Jammu and Kashmir, the only Muslim-majority state;

D. whereas Indian authorities intensified efforts to silence opposition members, civil society activists and independent journalists critical of the government, by using politically motivated criminal charges;

1. Strongly condemns the intensifying and systematic attacks, discrimination, and persecution against groups targeted due to their religion, caste, ethnicity and public opinion;

2. Urges Indian authorities to end discriminatory policies and practices against minorities including indigenous people, to publicly condemn communal violence by members and supporters of the BJP and to investigate and prosecute those responsible;

3. Asks the authorities to publicly condemn hate speech that encourage inter-ethnic violence in Manipur, to investigate and address root causes of the violence and hold those responsible accountable; calls on the Manipur government to refrain from direct or indirect involvement in violence through implicit or explicit support for the majority community, and to work with community leaders to restore security and ensure access to humanitarian aid; asks for redress for survivors and families of victims; asks to refrain from criminalising those who are critical of government's conduct:

4. Recalls that the current internet shutdown in Manipur is not an isolated incident, and deplores the repeated use of internet shutdowns throughout the country to silence dissent and criticism;

5. Calls on the authorities to amend laws promoting discrimination based on race, ethnicity, caste or religion;

6. Urges the authorities to end its crackdowns on civil society groups and politically motivated prosecutions and harassment on human rights activists and critics under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), and other laws that have been used to intimidate or censor civil society;

7. Demands to immediately release and drop all charges against all human rights defenders and peaceful critics including those being prosecuted in the Bhima Koregaon case, in cases related to the Citizenship Amendment Law, and, in Jammu and Kashmir especially Khurram Parvez;

8. Demands EU and its member States to publicly raise concerns over the Indian government’s growing abuses; reiterates that closer trade and political ties with India need to be based on the respect for human rights;

9. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the EU institutions, Member States, and the Indian authorities.