British foreign secretary and former UK prime minister David Cameron has recently stressed on the religious aspect of the ongoing strife in Manipur during a session in the House of Lords.
Responding to a question from Lord Indrajit Singh regarding the state of freedom of religion or belief in India and the reported violations in Manipur, Cameron acknowledged the complexity of the situation.
While highlighting the various instances of religious intolerance and violence in India, the former Prime Minister noted that while some conflicts may stem from communal, tribal, or ethnic differences, there is often a clear religious dimension to many of the disputes.
In response to Singh’s query, “India is a member of the Commonwealth and shouldn’t freedom of belief be at the forefront?”, Cameron said, “”It is right to say that we should not downplay the religious aspects of some of this strife. Yes, sometimes it is communal, tribal or ethnic, but in many cases, there is a clear religious part of it… Of course, there have been occasions where we raised these issues with the Indian government…”
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Cameron referenced a report by David Campanale, dated June 2023, which underscores the religious element in the Manipur strife.
The report highlights the destruction of churches among both valley people and hill tribals, indicating a deeper religious underpinning to the conflict.
Lord Singh of Wimbledon also echoed Cameron’s sentiments, citing instances of religious intolerance and persecution in India.
He stressed on the need for freedom of belief to be prioritised within the Commonwealth charter.
The issue of Manipur violence has been previously raised in the House of Commons by MP Fiona, Rishi Sunak’s special envoy for freedom of religion or belief, during sessions in July and September of the previous year.
The ethnic violence in Manipur will complete a tumultuous year on May 3, 2024.
