IMPHAL — The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), Sadar Hills, has expressed grave concern following the leakage of audio tapes where former Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh is heard allegedly making inflammatory remarks targeting tribal communities. The organization is demanding immediate action from both state and Central governments, insisting that the “rule of law must prevail” and that these revelations are a direct link to the ethnic conflict that erupted in Manipur in May 2023.
The audio recordings, which CoTU claims have been forensically analysed by Truth Labs Forensic Science Services, reportedly show a 93 per cent probability of authenticity. According to a statement issued by CoTU on August 24, these remarks cannot be “brushed aside” and the situation “cannot go on endlessly.”
This development comes just a day before the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear Writ Petition (Civil) No. 702/2024, filed by the Kuki Organisation for Human Rights (KOHR). The petition, listed for a hearing in Court No. 13 on August 25, seeks accountability for targeted violence against tribal communities, justice and reparations for victims, and an independent probe into alleged state-sponsored atrocities.
Despite two years of turmoil, CoTU pointed out that several key questions remain unanswered, including the status of the CFSL forensic report ordered in May 2025 to verify the leaked tapes, and the lack of an official update on KOHR’s petition. The group also questioned how much longer tribal communities must endure violence without justice or recognition of their rights.
Reiterating its position, CoTU has appealed to democratic institutions across the country to rise in solidarity. “The people of Manipur, especially its tribal communities, demand answers, accountability, and above all, justice,” the statement concluded, calling upon the judiciary, media, civil society, and all democratic forces to uphold the rule of law.
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