IDPs, Cocomi slam govt silence over resettlement in Manipur

Imphal: Internally displaced persons (IDPs), along with the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (Cocomi), have voiced grave concern over the continued silence of state authorities — including the Manipur governor — on the resettlement of displaced citizens, despite repeated memoranda and reminders submitted over the past few months.The month-long relay sit-in protest by Cocomi and IDPs, demanding resettlement to their original homes, concluded on Tuesday. Protest leaders accused the authorities of failing to honour earlier assurances.On the final day of the protest, Cocomi convenor Khuraijam Athouba said the sit-in, launched on Dec 1, was intended to press for the implementation of commitments made by Manipur authorities during a meeting with the governor on July 3. He said the deadline for resettlement expired on Tuesday without any response, report, or indication of progress from the government.Athouba added that over the past 30 days, IDP representatives and Cocomi submitted daily memoranda and reminder letters seeking concrete action, but none were acknowledged. He described the govt’s silence as deliberate and ongoing.Announcing the next step, Athouba said a unanimous decision had been taken to organise a march to Lok Bhavan on Jan 12 to seek a direct response from the governor. Protesters plan to question the governor on the non-fulfilment of assurances given in July, the lack of response to 30 memoranda, and the continued violation of IDPs’ human rights over the past two-and-a-half years. He said the march would be peaceful, constitutional, and democratic.In a joint statement, Cocomi and the IDPs urged the governor to break the silence, acknowledge the suffering of displaced people, and present a clear, written, and time-bound resettlement roadmap without further delay.“The people of Manipur seek peace — but peace cannot be sustained without justice, truth, and accountability,” the statement said.