UKHRUL, NOV 21: The All Manipur Muslim Students’ Organisation (AMMSO) has accused the State Government of being insensitive for going ahead with the Sangai Festival 2025 while thousands of people displaced by the ongoing unrest continue to live in relief camps.
In a statement issued on Thursday, AMMSO said that more than two years after the violence began, many families still have no clarity on rehabilitation or return, and holding a major tourism festival at this time “makes little sense.” The group said the government was prioritising image-building when basic needs and long-term resettlement remain unresolved.
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AMMSO also said the festival creates an impression of “normalcy” that does not match conditions on the ground, noting that several IDP groups and civil society organisations have already voiced opposition to the event. The organisation backed calls for a boycott and urged the government to postpone the festival until concrete rehabilitation steps are announced.
The student group called on both the State and Centre to focus on ensuring the safe return of displaced families from areas such as Imphal, Bishnupur, Kakching, Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, Moreh, Sugnu, Serou, Checkon, Langol, Lamphel and Konung Mamang. It stressed that families from all communities, including Meitei and Kuki, must be able to return to their original homes without fear.
AMMSO then said Manipur’s recovery depends on rebuilding coexistence, not furthering separation, and added that no part of the state should be treated as belonging exclusively to any one group.
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