FOCS to remember May 3, 2023

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Apr 23: May 3 will be observed as "a day of remembrance and reflection for the people of Manipur" under theme "Bridging Divides for Shared Future", said Federation of Civil Society Organisations (FOCS) today.
The May 3 observance will begin at 10 am at Yumnam Khunou Community Hall, Imphal East, said FOCS in a statement.
May 3, 2025 will mark the completion of 2 years of the violent aggression committed by armed illegal immigrants who waged an undeclared war against the indigenous Meitei community of Manipur, said FOCS.
"The attack was not merely an act of conflict, but a coordinated campaign of ethnic violence that left deep scars on our land and our people," it added.
"On May 3, 2023, innocent lives were lost, homes were burnt to ashes, and entire families were uprooted from their own land. The violence claimed the lives of many unarmed youths, forcing others barely out of their teens to take up the role of village volunteers to defend their people and land in the absence of timely State protection," said FOCS.
The illegal immigrants infiltrated from across the border, systematically targeted Meitei settlements in places like Churachandpur, Moreh, Imphal West, Imphal East and Kangpokpi districts etc. Thousands were displaced as their homes, farms, and livelihoods were destroyed overnight. Today, many still live as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in relief camps and temporary shelters, far from the places they once called home, it said.
"This observance is not only about remembering the pain but also about recognizing our shared strength and resilience. The theme, "Bridging  Divides for Shared Future", speaks to our collective responsibility to heal the wounds of the past while standing firm in our commitment to justice, peace, and the survival of our indigenous identity," said FOCS.
It invited all Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), civil society organisations, community leaders, students and women organisations, Meira Paibis, and all citizens to attend the observance.
"Let this [May 3 observance] be a platform for remembrance, solidarity, and a shared vision for the future. Let this day serve as both a remembrance of the past and a call for justice, peace, and coexistence rooted in truth and dignity," FOCS said. Violence erupted at Churachandpur after the Tribal Solidarity March.