IMPHAL - The Joint Action Committee Manipur (JACM), a leading civil society organization representing the people of Manipur, has officially thanked the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) spokesperson of the Pakistan Army for highlighting the human rights situation and atrocities faced by the people of the northeastern Indian state .
In a press release issued on May 7, 2026, the first anniversary of the Pakistan-India war, JACM stated that the conflict exposed "the reality behind India's military propaganda and aggressive rhetoric" and became "a moment of humiliation for India" as its "claims of superiority collapsed under international scrutiny" .
The organization noted that reports of Indian military losses - including fighter jets being shot down and failures on multiple fronts - "severely damaged India's image and exposed the gap between propaganda and reality" .
JACM emphasized that since the May 2025 conflict, India has "continued facing embarrassment internationally while internal crises and human rights issues remain ignored by New Delhi." The statement added that "instead of accountability and professionalism, the Indian Army continues to stand accused of intimidation, abuses, and human rights violations in regions such as Manipur" .
"For the people of Manipur, this reality is not new," the organization stated. "Our communities have faced fear, violence, military excesses, suppression of voices, and continuous suffering for years. Despite daily reporting, documentation, and appeals by activists and civil society groups, the suffering of the people of Manipur has still not received the global attention it deserves" .
The JACM specifically expressed "appreciation to DG ISPR, the military spokesperson of Pakistan Army, for mentioning Manipur during today's media briefing and highlighting concerns regarding the human rights situation and atrocities faced by the people of the region" .
The organization noted that "raising the issue of Manipur at international level is important and helps expose realities that are often ignored by mainstream Indian narratives" .
JACM further urged international leaders, including US President Donald Trump, European nations, international media, churches, and human rights organizations "to speak openly on the issue of Manipur and the protection of Christian communities facing violence and instability" .
"The issue of Manipur should not be normalized into silence," the organization declared. "The freedom struggle, rights, dignity, and future of the people of Manipur deserve global attention and international discussion" .
Manipur, a state in northeastern India bordering Myanmar, has been gripped by ethnic violence since May 3, 2023, when clashes erupted between the predominantly Hindu Meitei community and the primarily Christian Kuki-Zo tribes . The violence has resulted in hundreds of deaths, thousands of injuries, and the displacement of approximately 60,000 people .
The conflict has largely followed ethnic lines, with the Meitei community demanding Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, which the Kuki-Zo tribes oppose, fearing loss of their own land and political rights . The state has been divided into separate areas controlled by each community, with the Indian Army and paramilitary forces deployed to maintain a fragile peace .
However, multiple international religious freedom advocacy organizations have documented attacks on Christian institutions and communities in Manipur. The region's population is predominantly Christian (about 41% as of 2011), with churches, schools, and homes for the elderly being razed to the ground in the ongoing violence .
In July 2024, Pushpa Bhuya, a retired Indian civil servant, wrote to UN and US authorities, accusing the Indian government of "enacting a final solution through ethnic cleansing" against its own citizens in Manipur and Assam . She noted that "all these are targeted at the people who belong to the minority tribes - the Nagas, Kukis, Zomis, etc." - communities that are predominantly Christian .
The Indian government has consistently denied allegations of human rights violations, while struggling to restore peace in the region .
Despite the scale of the crisis, international media coverage of Manipur has been limited compared to other global conflicts. The United States has not publicly pressed India on the issue, and the United Nations has largely deferred to New Delhi's claim that the violence is an internal matter .
JACM's appeal to the international community signals a growing frustration among Manipur's civil society that their suffering is not receiving the attention it deserves. The organization's decision to thank Pakistan for raising the issue suggests a willingness to seek international attention from any source willing to speak, regardless of traditional geopolitical alignments .
The Indian government has dismissed Pakistan's statements on Manipur as "politically motivated" and interference in India's internal affairs. However, for the people of Manipur, who have endured over two years of violence, displacement, and uncertainty, any international voice - even from a nation traditionally viewed as an adversary - may be seen as welcome .
JACM's statement indicates that Manipur's civil society will continue to seek international attention for their cause. The organization has called on international leaders, media, and human rights bodies to "speak openly on the issue of Manipur" and ensure that "the freedom struggle, rights, dignity, and future of the people of Manipur deserve global attention and international discussion" .
Whether the international community will respond remains to be seen. But for now, Manipur's voice has been heard - and amplified by an unexpected source.
