Sekmai protest enters 7th day; Memorandum submitted demanding free movement on NHs, IDPs resettlement

Sit-in protest jointly organised by Imagi Meira and Sekmai Kanba Lup under the banner of the Peoples Progressive Alliance Manipur (PPAM) at Sekmai Bazaar demanding free movement along national highways and resettlement of internally displaced persons (IDPs) entered its seventh day on Wednesday.
On the seventh day, representatives of the two organisations submitted memorandums to the Governor of Manipur Ajay Kumar Bhalla and the BJP Manipur Pradesh President, A. Sarda Devi urging them to convey their demands directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his brief visit to the state scheduled for September 13.
The protest, which began on September 5, faced an attempt to be dismantled when state police and central forces removed makeshift structures at Sekmai bazaar early Tuesday morning. However, the women protesters immediately rebuilt the site and resumed their demonstration, with even more participants joining the agitation.
Thokchom Sujata, President of Imagi Meira, said the groups were compelled to approach the Governor and the BJP leadership as the Prime Minister’s short visit would leave no room for direct interaction with civil society organisations and Meira Paibis. She stressed that the protesters were demanding basic constitutional rights, including unhindered travel on NH-2 and NH-37, which have been disrupted for movement of one specific community since the outbreak of violence on May 3, 2023.
The memorandum also urged the Centre to announce the resettlement of IDPs to their homes and to abrogate the revised Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement signed with the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and the United People’s Front (UPF) on September 4. The groups alleged that both militant outfits violated ground rules soon after signing the accord.
The intensifying agitation at Sekmai reflects growing frustration over prolonged blockades, delayed rehabilitation of displaced persons, and deepening mistrust in the state’s handling of insurgent ceasefire agreements.