- IMPHAL — The
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) currently residing in government quarters
at Langol Game Village on the outskirts of Imphal staged a protest against an
eviction order issued by state authorities.
- Demonstrators carried placards reading, “Do not evict us, we
are IDP,” and “Think before you act, we are also human beings,” demanding that
authorities adopt a compassionate approach before taking any action.
- “We are not here by choice. We are victims of the violence.
The government has not facilitated our return, so we request to be allowed to
stay,” said one of the women protestors.
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- The IDPs, mostly from Churachandpur and Moreh, sought
shelter in Langol Game Village’s Zone 3 and 4 government quarters following the
outbreak of ethnic violence on May 3, 2023. The order for their eviction was
reportedly issued by the Works Department and conveyed by the district
administration.
- Since the May 3 violence last year, triggered by a student
rally in Churachandpur, Manipur has witnessed widespread unrest. Over 250
people have lost their lives, and more than 50,000 residents have been
displaced.
- The protestors urged the state government to provide
alternative resettlement options, asserting that without a viable plan,
eviction would only worsen their humanitarian crisis.