1. Manipur Government allocates Rs 5 crore for compensation of women survivors of sexual assault and other crimes.
2. The fund is specifically intended for victims affected by the ethnic violence since May 3.
3. The government’s affidavit to the Supreme Court lacks details on the number of women who have received compensation to date.
Imphal, Nov 21: The Manipur Government has informed the Supreme Court that it has released Rs 5 crore for the compensation of women who are survivors of sexual assault and other crimes, particularly those that occurred during the ethnic violence since May 3. However, the government’s affidavit did not provide details on the number of women who have received compensation thus far.
The Supreme Court had directed the Manipur Government in September to identify all religious structures in the state. The ethnic conflict between the tribal Kuki-Zo and the Meitei people has resulted in at least 180 fatalities since May 3.
In August, the state government reported to the apex court that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was investigating 20 cases related to the molestation, rape, and murder of women. Following the court’s instructions, the Manipur Government enhanced the compensation scheme for women victims and survivors of sexual assault and other crimes in September.
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Compensation for victims who were either killed or gang-raped ranges from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. For other crimes such as rape, sexual assault, and injuries like the loss of limbs or body parts, the compensation varies from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 9 lakh.
The state government submitted a ‘short affidavit’ to the court, outlining the measures taken for the identification of religious buildings across all 16 districts. This follows the violence that began on May 3, impacting Churches, Hindu temples, Sanamahi temples, Mosques, and other religious structures.
The affidavit, dated October 16, indicates that inspections could not be carried out in Noney and Senapati districts due to the current circumstances. It confirms that directives for identifying all religious buildings in the state, whether intact or vandalized, have been dispatched. In August, the state had reported to the court that approximately 386 religious institutions from both communities had suffered damage, with further assessments underway.
