Displaced folks stage meira rally

By Our  Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Nov 26 : Internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Churachandpur staying at relief camps at Sagoltongba and Konthoujam took out  a torch rally (meira rally) from Sagoltongba to Patsoi against the hosting of the Sangai Festival.
Police halted the protesters near Patsoi police station gate and prevented them from proceeding further.
After a brief altercation, the IDPs dispersed and returned to Sagoltongba.
The protesters raised slogans condemning the event as insensitive, arguing that the Government should not organise such festivals while thousands of IDPs continue to endure hardship in relief camps for nearly three years.
They demanded that the Sangai Festival be held only after all displaced persons are safely resettled at their homes.
The rally was taken out by inmates of the relief camps set up at Recent Higher Secondary School, Sagoltongba and Konthoujam Makha Khabam Junior High School.
Slogans such as "Resettle the IDPs", "Facilitate free movement on National Highways", "We want peace", "We want justice", "Peace first, festival later", "Understand IDPs grievances" among others were raised by the protesters.
The protesters accused the Government of using the Sangai Festival to create a false impression of normalcy in Manipur.
Despite repeated assurances of resettlement by December, no concrete or visible steps have been taken by the Government to enable the displaced persons to return to their homes, they said.