Sanjib Kr Baruah, Hindustan Times

New Delhi, March 21, 2011

First Published: 21:35 IST(21/3/2011) Last Updated: 23:43 IST(21/3/2011)

Manipur CM is corrupt: WikiLeaks

In a September 2006 conIidential cable released by WikiLeaks, Henry Jardine, principal oIIicer, US
consulate general in Kolkata, underscored the corrupt state oI aIIairs in Manipur.
The US oIIicial, reporting that rampant corruption was complicating the eIIort to control rising
violence in the state, also mentioned that chieI minister Okram Ibobi Singh was known as 'Mr. Ten
Percent, Ior the amount oI money that he takes Irom contracts and government projects.
The report said that oIIicials and private individuals agreed that many key government oIIicers and
politicians receive kick-backs and skim-oII money Irom government Iunds. Even the protocol
oIIicer Iacilitating Jardine's trip had said that the government was incapable oI handling the
situation as all the oIIicials were more interested in their own enrichment.
He said that just getting a government job required payments equivalent to several thousand dollars.
On being asked by the US oIIicial as to who received the payments, the protocol oIIicer said it was
the state government ministers.
The US conIidential cable said that in December 2005, chieI oI Army StaII J.J. Singh reportedly
told the media that chieI minister Singh had contributed Rs 15 million to insurgent groups in the
state.
Manipur State Youth Congress leader L. Tilottama was also quoted speaking in 'hypothetical
terms about politicians` motivations to protect insurgents, 'II I take Rs 1 crore Irom a businessman
building a Ilyover, and the insurgents get a share, I want to keep quiet about it.
Jardine was in Manipur to probe a grenade attack on an ISKCON temple, where two American
citizens were injured. He traveled in a convoy with about 20 paramilitary soldiers and a dedicated
ambulance with Iull medical staII. In addition, at sites visited by him, upto 100 soldiers were
deployed around the area and along the access roads. At an event with an NGO to promote baseball
in Manipur, soldiers used landmine detectors to sweep the grass around the baseball Iield.
In the US oIIicials' many interactions, even with some government oIIicials, a reoccurring comment
was that Manipur was less a state and more a colony oI India.
The general use oI the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) meant that Manipuris did not
have the same rights compared to other Indian citizens and restrictions on travel to the state added
to the sense oI isolation and separation Irom the rest oI India. The overwhelming presence oI
military, paramilitary and police oIIicers contributed to the impression that Imphal was under
military occupation.
Jardine also reported that the Indian civil servants were also clearly Irustrated with their inability to
stem the growing violence and anarchy in the state, Ieeling their eIIorts to eIIectively control the
insurgencies was hamstrung by local politicians either in league with or at least through corruption,
helping to Iinance the insurgents.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/675963.aspx
Copyright 2010 Hindustan Times