The United States, in its 2023 Human Rights Report, highlighted "significant" abuses in Manipur following the outbreak of ethnic conflict in May 2023. Released by the US State Department, the report also mentioned the raids by tax authorities on UK-based broadcaster BBC and cases of transnational repression like the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.
While India has not yet responded, the External Affairs Ministry has previously said such reports by the US were based on "misinformation and flawed understanding". Last year, the MEA said the report was based on "motivated and biased commentary by some US officials".
On Manipur, the report mentioned that at least 175 persons were killed and more than 60,000 displaced due to ongoing conflict. Since May last year, Manipur has been rocked by ethnic violence between the majority Meiteis, who live in the Imphal Valley, and the Kuki-Zo tribal community.
"Activists and journalists reported armed conflict, rapes, and assaults in addition to the destruction of homes, businesses, and places of worship. The government deployed security forces, implemented daily curfews, and internet shutdowns in response to the violence," the report said.
The report also mentioned that the Indian government's response had been criticised for its "ineffectiveness", with the Supreme Court pointing out the failure to halt the violence.
The report also highlighted a "worrying trend" of violence against journalists, unjustified arrests, and the application of criminal libel laws to suppress dissent.
On the searches at BBC offices, the report said tax officials also seized equipment from journalists who were not involved in the organisation's financial processes.
Last year, in February, the Income Tax department carried out surveys at the premises of the BBC in Delhi and Mumbai. The development came weeks after the British broadcaster released a documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots titled "India: The Modi Question".
In January 2023, the Centre ordered YouTube and Twitter to take down links sharing the documentary, sparking a huge political row.
"Although tax authorities described the search as motivated by irregularities in the BBC's tax payments and ownership structure, officials also searched and seized equipment from journalists who were not involved in the organisation's financial processes," the US report said.
"The government invoked emergency powers to ban screening of the documentary, forced media companies to remove links to the video, and detained student protesters who organised viewing parties," it further said.
Human rights abuses committed in regions plagued by terrorism, including Jammu and Kashmir, and areas affected by the Maoist insurgency also figured in the US report.
The report also mentioned the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, saying it indicated a "pattern of extrajudicial actions by state agents".
Interestingly, while the Nijjar case is mentioned in detail, there is no mention of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun's 'murder for hire' case against India. This, even as the Nijjar case took place in Canada and the latter directly deals with America.
Last year, the United States accused an Indian intelligence official of planning to allegedly kill Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York.
"The government was alleged by other governments, diaspora communities, and human rights groups to have killed persons, or used violence or threats of violence against individuals in other countries, for reprisal," the report said.
In response to these findings, Robert Gilchrist, senior bureau official at the US State Department, urged India to uphold its human rights commitments. "We strongly encourage, urge India to uphold its human rights obligations and commitments," he said,
