UKHRUL: The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has expressed dissatisfaction with the Manipur government’s written response on the resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and restoration of normalcy, describing it as partial, vague, and inadequate, even while acknowledging that the response itself is a result of sustained public pressure.
Addressing the media at its Lamphelpat office, COCOMI convenor Khuraijam Athouba said the response was received late on January 14 following a series of memorandums and reminders submitted to the Governor and the Chief Secretary throughout December 2025.
The memorandums were submitted after the Governor had assured during a July 2025 meeting with civil society organisations that IDPs would be resettled by December 2025. When the assurance was not fulfilled, IDPs and COCOMI launched a month-long sit-in protest in December and later marched to the Lok Bhavan on January 12 demanding a written reply from the government.
The government’s response outlines a phased resettlement plan under a Rs 523-crore rehabilitation package, including construction of houses, extension of financial assistance through direct benefit transfer (DBT), healthcare services, education for displaced children, livelihood generation through self-help groups, and security arrangements.
It also reiterates that rehabilitation and resettlement of IDPs remains a top humanitarian priority and that the process is contingent upon security conditions, land availability and logistical feasibility.
However, Athouba said the response fails to provide a clear and time-bound roadmap for resettlement, leaving displaced families uncertain about their future. He also criticised the absence of any concrete mention of action against elements allegedly disrupting peace and resettlement efforts, citing continued incidents of violence in certain hill areas.
COCOMI further accused the Union government of delaying a decisive resolution to the Manipur crisis and alleged that peace initiatives are being undermined by continued instability in the hill districts. Athouba claimed that normalcy has largely returned to Imphal, with no discrimination or hostility based on community, but said sporadic violence elsewhere continues to pose serious challenges.
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The developments come at a politically sensitive time, as Kuki-Zo groups on January 13 resolved to cooperate with the Manipur government only if the Union and State governments provide a written, time-bound commitment for a Union Territory with legislature, reported The Hindu.
The resolution was adopted at a Guwahati meeting involving Kuki-Zo insurgent groups under the Suspension of Operations pact, MLAs, and civil society representatives, marking the first such formal demand since ethnic violence erupted in May 2023.
COCOMI said it will place the government’s response before the public and intensify its agitation, including a mass rally scheduled for January 31, if its concerns continue to remain unaddressed.