Churachandpur, April 24: Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Churachandpur staged a sit-in protest at the Wall of Remembrance in Tuibong on Friday, demanding equal relief and assistance for displaced families living outside government relief camps.
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| Internally Displaced Persons stage a sit-in protest at the Wall of Remembrance in Tuibong, Churachandpur, demanding equal relief and assistance for over 18,000 IDPs living outside camps. |
The protest was organised under the banner of the Joint Internally Displaced Persons (JIDP), where thousands gathered holding placards carrying messages such as “Aid is a right, not a favor,” “Give equal treatment to all IDPs,” and “No segregation of camp and non-camp for relief assistance.” The programme began around 11:30 AM and concluded at about 2:00 PM.
Leaders including Dr. Vumkhoneh Haokip, Dr. R. Sanga, and Dr. John Pulamte addressed the gathering and highlighted concerns over the situation faced by displaced families in the district. According to the organisers, around 33,000 internally displaced persons are currently residing in Churachandpur district, following the ethnic violence that erupted in Manipur on May 3, 2023. Of these, approximately 15,000 are staying in relief camps, while over 18,000 displaced persons living outside camps have reportedly not received any government assistance in cash or kind.
The leaders said that many of the non-camp IDPs are daily wage earners who are struggling to survive without financial or food support. They emphasised that staying outside relief camps does not mean the families are financially secure, and many are facing severe hardships.
Dr. John Pulamte stated that displaced families living outside camps should not be excluded from relief measures, stressing that equal treatment must be ensured for all affected people regardless of where they reside. The leaders also raised concerns about delays in compensation for properties destroyed during the conflict.
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Following the protest, representatives submitted a memorandum titled “For Kind Redress and Action Please” to the Union Home Minister through the Deputy Commissioner of Churachandpur. The memorandum calls for Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) support, food security assistance, housing support, and fair compensation for losses suffered during the conflict.
The organisers urged the government to address the gaps in relief distribution and ensure that all displaced families - both camped and non-camped—receive equal assistance and support.
