US Envoy Responds To Manipur Violence: 'Our Hearts Break For Those Suffering'

Garcetti's compassionate response comes after a graphic video of brutalized women surfaced, igniting nationwide outrage and calls for justice in the state, which has witnessed tragic ethnic clashes.

Outlook Web Desk

Updated on: 20 July 2023 5:38 pm

Eric Garcetti, US ambassador to India

Eric Garcetti, the top US diplomat in New Delhi, has described the ongoing violence in Manipur as an "internal matter" of India. While in Washington for consultations with US Government officials, Garcetti responded to a question about a graphic video showing two disrobed women being brutalized by a mob in Manipur. He expressed that "our hearts break whenever there's human suffering," conveying sympathy for the Indian people affected by the tragic incidents.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has condemned the incident, vowing that the guilty will be brought to justice with the full force of the law. The horrific video surfaced after an internet ban was lifted, sparking nationwide outrage over the violence that erupted in Manipur's Kangpokpi district on May 3.

Since then, more than 160 people have lost their lives, and several have been injured in the ethnic violence, which was triggered by protests against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Despite being an internal matter for India, Garcetti emphasized that the US stands in solidarity with fellow human beings, sympathizing with the pain and suffering caused by these tragic events in Manipur.