Frustration and despair among Manipur’s internally displaced persons have reached a breaking point, with several families openly declaring that they are prepared to take up “extreme forms of agitation” if the government continues to ignore their month-long protest demanding a safe return to their homes.
The protest, led by IDPs and backed by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), entered its third day today with no word from authorities despite the state being under President’s Rule. Protesters say the silence from Delhi and the state administration reflects an alarming lack of concern for thousands who are compelled to spend nearly 19 months in relief camps.
Kongsam Ongbi Binashakhi Devi, speaking from the relief camp at Lamboi Khongnangkhong, described the daily reality of the displaced as “a life without dignity.” She said, “We are surviving just in name. In truth, we are living like the dead.” Her voice was resonant with anger and exhaustion characteristic of people feeling abandoned by the very system that is meant to protect them.
Mayanglangbam Ongbi Binodini of Serou, another IDP and resident of the same camp, said that the government had earlier assured the displaced families that they would be able to return home by December. “But nothing has been done. Not a single measure has been taken up,” she said.
Expressing deep disappointment, she warned that the next phase of their agitation would be far more intense. “We will dare death if needed. We will go back to our homes, facing all odds,” she said, mirroring the growing resolve among IDP communities who say they have “nothing left to lose.”
IDPs and COCOMI have continued to press for immediate intervention by the government, a concrete road map for rehabilitation, and safe passage for the displaced families to return to their original villages. As uncertainty mounts and tempers fray, protesters warn that continued silence by the government will push the crisis into an even more volatile phase.