New Delhi: Supreme Court Justice B.R. Gavai, along with five other senior judges, will visit relief camps in Manipur on Saturday to assess the ongoing humanitarian crisis caused by ethnic violence in the state.
The visit, which is being coordinated by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), will include the inauguration of legal aid clinics and medical camps to assist those affected by the turmoil.
The ethnic violence in Manipur erupted on May 3, 2023, following a “tribal solidarity march” organised in the hill districts to protest the demand for Scheduled Tribe status by the majority Meitei community.
Since then, the violence has claimed over 200 lives, injured hundreds, and displaced thousands, with many taking shelter in relief camps across the state.
NALSA reports that more than 50,000 people remain displaced, seeking refuge in these camps, nearly two years after the initial outbreak.
Justice B.R. Gavai, who serves as the Executive Chairman of NALSA, will be joined by Supreme Court Justices Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, M.M. Sundresh, K.V. Viswanathan, and N. Kotiswar Singh.
Together, they will visit the camps in Imphal East, Imphal West, and Ukhrul districts, where they will interact with displaced persons and oversee the distribution of essential relief materials.
The visit will also focus on providing legal support to the affected communities. Justice Gavai is expected to virtually inaugurate several new legal aid clinics and medical camps in the affected districts to assist those seeking legal and medical assistance.
These initiatives aim to offer immediate support to the displaced population, many of whom are grappling with the long-term effects of the violence.
The Supreme Court’s involvement in this humanitarian mission underscores the ongoing need for legal and humanitarian assistance in Manipur.
Thousands of displaced persons continue to face hardship and uncertainty in the aftermath of the violence.
(IANS)
