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The Hindu
04-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Manipur sets December target to shut down relief camps; resettlement begins
The Manipur government has set a December target to shut down all relief camps housing people displaced by the conflict between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo people that broke out on May 3, 2023. State Chief Secretary P.K. Singh told journalists in Imphal on Friday (July 4, 2025) that a three-phase resettlement plan was worked out in consultation with the Centre, primarily the Ministry of Home Affairs. He said the first of these three phases was underway. 'The Centre, the State government, and CSOs (civil society organisations) are working towards the resettlement of the internally displaced people. Some of them have started going back. The number of displaced, which was 62,000 in the beginning, is now about 57,000. I took stock of Churachandpur and Kangpokpi on Thursday. People have started going back,' Mr. Singh said. He said some of the relief camp inmates would go back during the second phase by October, followed by the third phase by December. Financial assistance The Chief Secretary said the government would provide financial assistance of ₹3.03 lakh each to 7,000-8,000 families, whose houses were destroyed during the violence, so that they could rebuild them wherever they want. 'The second category is of some 7,000 people who fled their homes. Their houses were not destroyed but are now dilapidated after two years of neglect. There will be some kind of monetary help for them as well,' he said. 'We feel that even after December, there will be around 8,000 to 10,000 people who will not be able to go back. They may be from Moreh, Kangpokpi or Churachandpur. They will be allowed to stay in some 1,000 pre-fabricated houses we are building. We have plans to shut the relief camps by December,' he added. Mr. Singh further stated that adequate arrangements had been made for farming activities. 'These are going on peacefully, and it is a good sign that both sides are farming together within an eyeball-to-eyeball distance and are sharing water,' he said. 'We have appealed to all CSOs to maintain calm. One odd incident can happen here and there. Some mischievous elements are there everywhere. Some people want to prolong it [conflict]. Some others want mischievous things to happen,' he said.
The Hindu
03-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
More security for Manipur farmers in vulnerable areas
The Manipur government has heightened security for farmers in vulnerable areas, specifically along the 'buffer zone' separating the Meitei-dominated Imphal Valley and the surrounding hills where the Kuki-Zo tribal people are in the majority. The decision follows a bullet injury sustained by a farmer in -district's Phubala on June 19 and a subsequent meeting between a delegation of three Meitei-led civil society organisations and officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs, where the issue of the cultivators on the periphery of the Imphal Valley was raised. A high-level meeting to review the security arrangements related to farming, enhance coordination, and prevent Phubala-like incidents was held in the State's capital, Imphal, on June 28. The meeting was chaired by Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh and attended by Chief Secretary P.K. Singh and Director General of Police Rajiv Singh. The State government said police personnel are deployed in the vulnerable farming areas on the hills and the valley, assisting Central security forces in providing security to the farming areas. Central security forces have been redeployed in the vicinity of Phubala to strengthen the security arrangements. 'Alert messages have been issued to all district Superintendents of Police from the Police Headquarters to immediately implement enhanced security protocols for ongoing farming and cultivation activities,' an official statement said on Thursday (July 3, 2025). Senior police officers are visiting farming areas to oversee the security arrangements. This includes the identification of vulnerable agricultural areas that may require increased security presence and surveillance. 'Joint combing operations are being conducted on a regular basis in the fringe areas, including areas deep inside the hills, to flush out any miscreants. Flying squads and quick response teams have been set up by the administration for immediate assistance in case of any need,' the statement said. The government requested people, particularly farmers, to remain vigilant and promptly inform the local police or security forces before proceeding with farming activities in vulnerable or sensitive areas. The Phubala incident was reminiscent of the violent phase in Manipur before the imposition of the President's Rule on February 13. After unknown gunmen injured a Meitei farmer that day, an elderly Kuki woman was killed in a subsequent operation by security personnel in the adjoining Churachandpur district.
The Hindu
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Manipur government orders probe into bus incident, Meitei group calls 48-hour strike
GUWAHATI The Manipur government on Wednesday (May 21, 2025) ordered a probe into Tuesday's (May 20, 2025) incident in which armed forces personnel allegedly made a team of journalists and information officials cover 'Manipur State Transport' displayed on a bus they were travelling in. The journalists and officials were on their way to covering the State Tourism Department-organised Shirui Lily Festival in the Ukhrul district, about 80 km from the capital, Imphal. The incident triggered anger in the Meitei-majority Imphal Valley, where an influential NGO called a 48-hour general strike and demanded the resignation of Manipur's Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh, Chief Secretary P.K. Singh, and Director General of Police Rajiv Singh. The order issued by the Chief Secretary read, 'The Governor of Manipur is pleased to constitute an inquiry committee to examine the facts and circumstances around the (bus) incident…' The inquiry will be conducted by a two-member committee, comprising Commissioner (Home) N. Ashok Kumar and Secretary (Information Technology) Th. Kirankumar Singh. The panel has been asked to look into lapses, if any, suggest measures to prevent the recurrence of such a situation, and submit its report within 15 days. Protesting the incident, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) announced the 48-hour shutdown from Wednesday (May 21, 2025) midnight. The group primarily represents the Meitei community. Apart from the resignation of the three top officers at the helm of affairs in Manipur, the COCOMI demanded an apology from Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla. It held them responsible for the incident, which 'undermined the identity of Manipur, its name, pride and respect.' The COCOMI also accused them of surrendering the pride, dignity, and legitimacy of the State to the 'narco-terrorist groups which have been openly threatening the people of Manipur.' It pointed out that no action was taken against a Kuki student leader and Kuki armed 'village volunteers' who had allegedly threatened Meiteis against attending the iconic festival organised after a two-year gap due to the ethnic conflict that broke out in May 2023. The incident occurred at the Gwaltabi checkpoint in the Imphal East district, about 25 km from Imphal. A group of 20 journalists were travelling to the Naga-majority Ukhrul district to cover the five-day festival, which the Governor inaugurated on Tuesday (May 20, 2025). The COCOMI accused the personnel of the Army's 4 Mahar Regiment guarding the checkpoint of 'erasing' the name of Manipur from the bus. The Army has not reacted to the allegation. Leaders of Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party in the State were on the same page in criticising the bus incident, demanding punishment for those responsible. The Shirui Lily Festival was expected to bring a semblance of normalcy in the State scarred by a long-drawn conflict between the Kuki-Zo tribal people and the Meiteis. The conflict, which broke out on May 3, 2023, killed more than 250 people and displaced some 60,000.
