IDPs, Along With Volunteers Of COCOMI, Takes Out Massive Rally In Imphal
The rally began from Takhellambam Leikai and saw a large turnout, with participants marching in groups, holding placards and raising slogans to highlight the hardships faced by families living in relief camps
Guwahati: Hundreds of internally displaced persons (IDPs), along with volunteers of the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), on Monday took out a massive rally in Imphal West district, demanding a safe return to their homes with adequate security arrangements.
However, security forces stopped the rally near Keisampat Junction as protesters wanted to proceed towards Raj Bhawan.
Subsequently after a brief tension and standoff, a delegation of around 11 representatives, led by COCOMI convenor Khuraijam Athouba, was allowed to proceed. The delegation later met officials at the Chief Secretary’s office and submitted a memorandum seeking urgent government intervention.
The rally began from Takhellambam Leikai and saw a large turnout, with participants marching in groups, holding placards and raising slogans to highlight the hardships faced by families living in relief camps.
“We have been submitting memorandums outlining the grievances of the people for the past 30 days since December 1. The government should respond to the people of Manipur. Yet the present administration has failed even to send a reply. We will continue demanding responses to all the memorandums we have submitted,” Mr Athouba said.
The representatives subsequently also went to the Raj Bhavan, where they again submitted the memorandum, reiterating their primary demand for the safe return and rehabilitation of IDPs in their native places.
The protest followed a month-long agitation in December by IDPs and COCOMI, during which they sought rehabilitation, resettlement and the restoration of normal life for displaced families. The recent attacks by armed miscreants has come as immediate provocation as protestors reiterated their demand for security and rehabilitation of those displaced during the ethnic clashes.
