Yearning to return to their original lands and homes, the internally displaced persons (IDPs) seeking refuge in various relief camps staged a sit-in on Saturday, demanding the state government to arrange necessary measures to ensure they return home safely.
Raising slogans which read ‘Eikhoi Relief Camp ta Leiba Ware’ (We are suffering in relief camps), ‘Athubada Eikhoigi yumda hanjinhanbiyu’ (Let us return to our homes at the earliest) etc, the IDPs carried out the protest demonstration at Sugnu Market in Kakching District. The IDPs were mostly residents of Napat and Tangjeng villages in Kumbi Constituency, who were forcibly displaced due to the conflict and made to seek refuge at various relief camps.
Speaking to the media, one Angomchambam Ongbi Rita Leima, who is residing at a relief camp in Kakching, expressed grief over the prevailing violence in the state which has entered 13 months with no end in sight. She lamented that the indigenous people of the state have been made refuge in their own lands owing to the conflict.
“We are tired of living like refugees in our state. The situation has crossed one year. We have lost all hope for the future,” she said.
She expressed her desire to return back to their original home at Napat village and live in peace as before.
She urged the state government to arrange necessary security to ensure their safe return and further appealed to repair the bridge connecting Napat and Sugnu to facilitate the same.
She asserted that if the state government fails to pay heed to their demands, the residents of Napat village will resolve to return to their homes voluntarily, and warned that the government must bear all responsibilities for any outcomes.
She further condemned the alleged failure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to utter a single word on the ongoing crisis in the state till date. Questioning if Manipur is no longer a part of India, she appealed to the Prime Minister and the Home Minister to break their silence and instead take necessary steps to resolve the issue at the earliest.
Taking part in the protest, one individual namely Yumanam Ojit Meitei, a resident of Napat Tangjeng village, presently staying at Tangjeng Mangjing Relief camp in Sugnu Constituency, said that they are unable to take benefits of the Prime Minister’s housing scheme as they have no lands to construct their houses.
He claimed that affected farmers of the village have not received the compensatory package distributed by the government for the farmers affected by the crisis.
He urged the government to consider their dire situations and initiate necessary steps to enable them to return to their homes. He also appealed to arrange the security guarding Napat village under the control of Bishnupur District SP so as to facilitate their return.
Should the government fail to consider their pleas, the people will resolve to return to their homes voluntarily, he asserted.
Mention may be made that numerous people from various areas across the state were forcibly displaced by the conflict that erupted in the state on May 3. With their homes and properties allegedly set ablaze by armed kuki militants, the affected victims of the conflict have been forced to seek refuge in various relief camps at different places.
