IDPs continue protest against Sangai Fest

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Nov 26 : Internally displaced persons continued to stage protest demonstrations against the State organising the Manipur Sangai Festival.
At the 'alternate housing complex' at Langol Game Village Zone-III, internally displaced persons including many from Moreh staged a sit-in today.
The IDPs held various placards that demonstrated their call to boycott the festival and allow  them to return to their original villages.
During the protest demonstration, the IDPs said the State must not celebrate or organise any festival until the internally displaced persons are allowed to resettle in their native villages.
"No resettlement, no festival," they said.
IDPs, civil society organisations and people of the valley have been organising the protest demonstrations since the State floated the idea of organising the Sangai festival some time ago.
Despite opposition, the State is organising the 12th edition of the festival from November 21 to November 30.
"We boycott the festival. We urge everyone to refrain from attending the festival. When nobody attends the festival, it will teach the current administration a valuable lesson," said one of the IDPs during the protest demonstration today.
When there is no public support, the Government is bound to fail in everything it does, the IDP added.
Moirangthem Asharani, an internally displaced person from Moreh said, "The State celebrating the Sangai Festival means there is peace and therefore the IDPs must be allowed to return to their native/original villages."
The "PR Government", as it had assured earlier, must keep its words and allow IDPs to resettle in their original villages, she said. "The PR Government had earlier announced that the IDPs will be resettled and rehabilitated in their original villages by December 2025. However, it is seen taking no steps toward this," she added.
Since May 2023, the internally displaced persons are staying in relief camps with only some basic amenities provided. The IDPs are suffering physically and mentally, she said.
Instead of paying attention to the sufferings and the needs of the IDPs, the PR Government is busy organising the festival, which is failing utterly as expected, she said.
Asharani said the current administration and the Centre must focus on rehabilitation and resettlement of the IDPs in their original villages.
Firstly, IDPs from the periphery areas of the valley must be allowed to return and resettle. Then, IDPs from Moreh, Churachandpur, Kangpokpi must be allowed to return to their homes, Asharani said.
On the recent police crackdown on IDP protesters, Asharani said the use of force was very unfortunate.
She claimed the police are "effective only in the valley".
The police, she said, should exercise their duties effectively in the hills too. IDPs will continue to boycott and protest the Sangai Festival, she added.