Moreh Meiteis demand resettlement in hometown with deployment of State forces
Source: The Sangai Express
Thoubal, July 14 2023:
Expressing dismay over the State Government's alleged lack of concern for Moreh Meiteis, the displaced folks staged a sit-in protest at Wangjing-Lamding Keithel today while calling for deployment of State security forces in Moreh.
The protestors were mainly inmates from Wangjing Kondompokpi Sports Complex and Lamding Higher Secondary School relief camps under Thoubal district.
Speaking by the sideline of the protest, Leishangthem Tamem Leima from Moreh Ward No 7 Heinou Makhong stated that the displaced families from Moreh had survived a series of atrocities allegedly inflicted by Kukis which include arson, gun and bomb attacks etc and had fled to safer locations to save their lives.
Accusing the State Government of not uttering a single word to enquire after the well-being of Moreh Meiteis, she conveyed a great sense of discontent with the State Government.
Expressing a desire to return to the town where her ancestors dwelled, she also urged the Government to take up measures to resettle the Moreh Meiteis in their respective homesteads over which they have a legal right.
"We do not want to survive on the charity of others and live on their land.
We will continue to live on the land left by our ancestors.
If we die, we will die in Moreh, we will die in our own homesteads", she exclaimed.
Further conveying a lack of faith in the Assam Rifles, Leishangthem Tamem Leima demanded their withdrawal from Moreh and called for deployment of additional IRB and CDO personnel in the town.
One Moirangthem Asharani from Moreh Bazar also expressed a desire to return to her hometown.
Holding the State Government accounting for the present suffering, she stated that if the Government had checked the influx of illegal immigrants into Manipur from Myanmar at the right time, then the conflict could have been prevented.
Further, she spoke strongly against withdrawal of Manipur Commando from Moreh while reasoning that pulling them out will cause more suffering to the Meitei community.