Manipur: Violence-hit people hold rally in Imphal demanding resettlement

Imphal: Hundreds of violence-hit Internally Displaced People (IDP) on Monday staged a protest rally in Imphal, demanding a positive response from Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on their resettlement.

Backed by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), an apex body of the Meitei community, the IDP organised the rally and demanded that displaced families be allowed to return to their original places with adequate security arrangements.

The rally started from Kwakeithel Takhellambam Leikai in Imphal and marched towards Lok Bhavan.

Security forces comprising police and central forces, including Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel, stopped the rally at Keishampat junction, nearly 200 metres from the Governor’s House.

A team led by COCOMI Convenor Khuraijam Athouba held a meeting with Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel and later met Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, after which the agitators dispersed.

A Lok Bhavan official said the COCOMI-IDPs joint delegation called on the Governor at Lok Bhavan, Imphal, where they shared broad concerns related to the situation of displaced people and raised various issues requiring attention.

“Discussions also touched upon matters linked to arrangements in certain areas adjoining the Valley and Hill regions,” the official said.

He said the Governor listened to the delegation and noted that steps related to resettlement and rehabilitation are already underway.

“Governor Bhalla reiterated that efforts are being made to facilitate the safe and gradual return of IDPs,” the Lok Bhavan official added.

Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel and Commissioner-cum-Secretary (Home) N. Ashok Kumar were also present during the interaction.

One of the protesters said that dozens of memoranda demanding resettlement of the IDPs in their original places have been submitted to various authorities, including the Governor, but there has been no positive response so far.

“How can we remain quiet even after staying in relief camps since the ethnic violence began on May 3, 2023?” an IDP leader said.

Earlier, on December 30 last year, Chief Secretary Goel had said nearly 10,000 people displaced due to ethnic violence since May 2023 have been resettled.

“The government has taken a series of measures for phased resettlement of the IDPs under the Rs 573-crore Resettlement and Rehabilitation Package announced earlier,” Goel had said.

The state government has established over 300 relief camps across the Imphal Valley and hilly regions to provide shelter to over 59,000 men, women and children displaced since the outbreak of ethnic violence in May 2023.

More than 260 people were killed, over 1,500 injured and more than 70,000 displaced after ethnic violence broke out between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities on May 3, 2023, following a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ organised in the hill districts to protest the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status.

Manipur has been under President’s Rule since February 13, four days after the resignation of N. Biren Singh as Chief Minister.

IANS