COCOMI convenor Khuraijam Athouba dismissed the PUCL report as “fact-twisting,” alleging it ignored atrocities against Meiteis while portraying them as aggressors.
BY PC Bureau
August 24, 2025 — In a rare development, both a prominent civil society organisation and a sitting Rajya Sabha MP have called for legal action against a human rights group over its findings on the ethnic conflict in Manipur.
The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) recently released an Independent People’s Tribunal Report that outlined the causes of the violence, identified those allegedly responsible, and proposed recommendations to address the crisis.
The report has triggered strong backlash from the Meitei community, which has denounced it as “biased” and “divisive.”
Civil Society and Political Leaders React
Civil society group COCOMI’s convenor Athouba Khuraijam rejected the report, accusing PUCL of portraying Meiteis as aggressors while overlooking atrocities committed against them.
“This is not fact-finding but fact-twisting. By selectively blaming one community, PUCL is aggravating tensions. An FIR must be filed against the group for spreading falsehoods and communalising the conflict,” Athouba said.
— Khuraijam Athouba (@Paari_Athouba) August 23, 2025
Athouba went on to add that, “ A group of dishonest academics and pseudo-intellectuals has embarked on a trip from Patparganj in East Delhi, most of them in the twilight of their careers, with little meaningful pursuit left except lending their names to a self-appointed “Tribunal.” Their purpose is not to bring peace or resolve the crisis, but to fuel it further. One wonders at their sense of intellectual wisdom seeking to be remembered not as peace-makers or even peace-brokers, but merely as traders of peace.
In another post Athouba said, “ Earlier, it was the Indian Guild of Editors, invited by Assam Rifles under the sponsorship of Narco-Terrorist Separatist agent called ITLF and others. This time, the exercise has been managed a little more tactfully, yet their own reporting has ultimately exposed their intent, revealing an agenda of manipulation rather than a sincere direction toward resolution. Truly unfortunate.”
Rajya Sabha MP Maharaja Sanajaoba Leishemba echoed the demand, arguing that the PUCL report was an attempt to tarnish Manipur’s image both nationally and internationally.
Reports of People’s Union for Civil Liberties are totally Wrong, Biased, One- sided, Baseless, Ungrounded & Added fuel to the Peace Process .
Demanded a Strong Probe against this PUCL.@PMOIndia@MINISTRYOFHOME2 @RajBhavManipur@manipur_police @govt_of_manipur pic.twitter.com/1Z1Y3kCIfI— Maharaja Sanajaoba Leishemba. (@MaharajaManipur) August 23, 2025
READ : UKNA Issues Death Threats to Kuki-Zo MLAs in Manipur
“This is not a rights report, it is propaganda. Such deliberate misrepresentation at a time of crisis is dangerous. The government must prosecute PUCL to prevent further escalation,” he said.
Meitei Concerns Over “Selective Narratives”
According to Meitei organisations, the PUCL report failed to acknowledge several crucial elements, including:
- The displacement of Meitei families from hill districts,
- Attacks on civilians in the valley, and
- The role of armed groups operating from the hills.
Critics argue that by omitting these details, the report emboldens insurgent narratives while undermining security forces and democratic institutions.
The call for an FIR highlights how the battle in Manipur extends beyond the ground conflict — it is also a contest over narrative, legitimacy, and who gets to tell the story of the violence. The Meitei may have damned the PUCL report as “biased” , but the report gives vivid account of atrocities on Meiteis, too.
Survivor Testimonies Omitted by PUCL?
Several testimonies from Meitei survivors in Kuki-dominated areas suggest that the community also suffered targeted violence, details that Meitei leaders say were downplayed in PUCL’s report.
One witness, a Meitei shopkeeper from Churachandpur, recalled how rallies on May 3, 2023, turned violent:
“People started chanting abusive words about Meiteis. That afternoon ambulances kept rushing. By nightfall, messages were circulating that houses were being burned and Meiteis attacked. A Kuki friend told others: ‘Any Meitei person, anything belonging to Meiteis — just finish.’ Soon our village was attacked with guns and set on fire. My younger brother was shot in the chest but survived.”
Other survivors from Kangvai described fleeing burning homes, with Meira Paibi women’s groups sheltering displaced families. Some testimonies even suggested that Arambai Tenggol volunteers stepped in to help villagers when state forces withdrew.
Social Media Reaction: Polarised and Contentious
The PUCL report has also set off a wave of reactions on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook.
- Supporters praised it as an honest documentation of human rights abuses and a necessary reminder of survivor voices, particularly women subjected to sexual violence. Calls for a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and stronger judicial oversight gained traction online.
- Critics, however, accused PUCL of ethnic bias, arguing that it focused disproportionately on Kuki-Zo experiences while overlooking Meitei suffering. Editorials and community posts described it as “propaganda” and “factually incomplete.”
Misinformation further muddied the waters, with fake images and old videos resurfacing, some reportedly pushed by accounts linked to actors outside India.
Ultimately, the controversy reflects a larger struggle: beyond bullets and barricades, Manipur’s communities are also fighting over who controls the narrative of the conflict. The demand for legal action against PUCL underscores how high the stakes have become in shaping both national and international perceptions of the state’s tragedy.
