CHURACHANDPUR, NOV 11: The Joint IDP Churachandpur District, which was constituted by five tribe-based IDP committees of Churachandpur District, today organised a general meeting on Disparity, Injustice, Irregularities, and Negligence at Peace Ground, Tuibong, Churachandpur. The meeting was widely attended by IDPs of Churachandpur, who were displaced in the aftermath of the May 3, 2023 incident that triggered the ongoing crisis in Manipur.
On the occasion, IDPs carried placards that read:
“We are displaced, not disposable,” “We lost our home, not our hope,” “We demand camp-wise account statement,” “Every IDP child has the right to learn with dignity,” “CCpur IDPs punished by DC & Biren,” “Proper housing and fair compensation is our basic right,” “Compensation based on value, not fixed,” “IDP lives matter too,” and “No closure without settlement.”
The participants also held a rally and later submitted a memorandum addressed to the Governor of Manipur via the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Churachandpur.
The memorandum stated demands including inclusive policy implementation, immediate release of pending assistance, permanent housing and livelihood, fair and transparent compensation, protection of property, adoption of a comprehensive rehabilitation model, administrative continuity and accountability, and creation of a comprehensive IDPs database and administrative protocol.
At the meeting, the main speakers, Dr. Vumkhoneh Haokip, Dr. R. Sanga, and Dr. John H. Pulamte, spoke at length about the disparity, injustice, irregularities, and negligence by the government. They stated that ₹647 crore had been sanctioned by the Government of India for the cause of IDPs in the Manipur crisis, but many have not received any benefit, particularly those who are not staying in relief camps. Even those in camps, they claimed, are not getting their due share. The speakers vowed to stay united and fight for their rights under the provisions of the Indian Constitution.
Several speakers also highlighted the disparity, injustice, irregularities, and negligence between the valley and the hill districts, claiming that valley IDPs are better supported compared to those in the hills. They also complained about the frequent transfer and change of DCs and SDOs by the Biren government prior to the Parliamentary elections, as reflected in the placard that read, “Churachandpur IDPs punished by the DC & Biren.”
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The Joint IDP leadership today demanded that an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) be appointed to uphold the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and cater to the needs of IDPs in Churachandpur District.
The IDPs of Churachandpur took out a rally from their meeting venue to the Mini Secretariat complex, where they submitted their memorandum to officials of the district administration, as the DC was out of station.