Kh. Inoch, P. Johnson Samo, S.P. Benjamin and P.R. Amose

RTI activists and HRDs

Manipur

HRDA has issued an urgent appeal to the National Human Rights Commission of India on December 13, 2021, regarding the extreme danger to the lives of four RTI activists who exposed the corruption of public funds by government officials in Manipur and are now facing threats from the NSCN (IM).

Mr. P Johnson Samo filed an RTI application seeking information on various funds sanctioned and other development works carried out under various schemes in his village at Senapati district which was followed by 3 more RTI applications filed by Mr. Kh. Inoch, Mr. S.P. Benjamin and Mr. P.R. Amose in different villages of Senapati district on 28^th September. But instead of providing information on the RTIs, Mr. Khapudang, the CEO, Autonomous District Council (ADC) of Senapati district, challenged before the High Court of Manipur and the decision of the MIC directing him to furnish the required information. Immediately after this, the NSCN (IM) started to give warning letters and threatened them with consequences if they did not withdraw their RTI applications.

After this incident, late night on January 12, 2021, some people claiming to be members of NSCN (IM) came to arrest Mr. Samo, however, he was hiding at a friend’s house anticipating the threat. He sent off his wife and children in his vehicle to hide in the Imphal. But on the way to Imphal, four male passengers followed his family's vehicle for several Kilometres and intimidated them by looking at Mr. Samo and after they left, his wife informed him. After this, he also went to Imphal and join with his family. From 2019 September to November 2021, he has received 40 direct and indirect threats. The latest threat was on December 21 at his son’s wedding but not being allowed till the RTI was withdrawn. At that time, got to informed that one of the RTI applicants, Mr. Inoch was reportedly abducted and tortured by the faction of NSCN (IM) and was not allowed to go outside from the village without their permission as he is still under house arrest. 

Regarding their safety, the Chief Information Commissioner of Manipur wrote a letter to the DGP of Manipur to take action to protect the lives of the four RTI activists but no necessary action was taken by the DGP. They felt extreme danger and death threats by armed groups in Manipur for exposing the corruption of public funds. We believe that the inaction of the Manipur Govt officials is a violation of Article 12 of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders and human rights violation.