State's response not satisfactory, no timeline to resettle IDPs: COCOMI
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 14 2026: The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has remarked that the response given by the State Government on resettlement of IDPs and restoration of normalcy is unsatisfactory and incomplete.

Speaking to media persons at their Lamphelpat office this afternoon, COCOMI convenor Khuraijam Athouba said that they received a written response from the State Government last night to the series of memorandums and reminders submitted to the Governor and the Chief Secretary in December 2025.Though late, the State Government's response is a victory for the people's movement and a good precedent, he said.

But the response is neither complete nor satisfactory, he decried.

The Chief Secretary's three-page response to the series of memorandums and reminders submitted by IDP representatives and COCOMI came enclosed with a press issued by the Chief Secretary on December 30, 2025, he said.

Athouba said that the Government's response talks of construction of houses for IDPs, resettlement measures, phase-wise resettlement plan and extension of financial assistance to IDPs through DBT .

The written response also mentions healthcare measures, children's education, employment, creation of livelihoods through formation of SHG, security measures etc.

It claims that the State Government, in association with the Central Government, has been working to resettle and rehabilitate IDPs.

But the State's response does not give a definite timeline for resettlement of IDPs.

As such, it is not clear how long the Government will take to resettle the IDPs, Athouba said.

Nothing is said in the Government's response on taking appropriate action against those elements who have been disrupting and trying to sabotage the resettlement and peace efforts.

For instance, it does not reflect any concrete action from the side of the Government regarding the bomb attack carried out at Saiton and injuring villagers on January 5, 2026, he pointed out.

Put in a nutshell, the Government's response cannot be seen as a progress report for resettlement of IDPs, the COCOMI convenor said.

He said that the Government's response would be placed before the public and examined collectively.

Notably, during a meeting with CSO representatives on July 3, 2025, Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla assured that the IDPs will be resettled by December 2025.In line with the Governor's assurance, IDPs and COCOMI staged a sit-in-protest throughout the month of December.

Moreover, memorandums and reminders were submitted to the Governor and the Chief Secretary every day.

Demanding a reply to their memorandums, IDPs and COCOMI members marched to the Lok Bhavan on January 12 .

The COCOMI convenor asserted that the Government of India must immediately see that those elements enjoying impunity from New Delhi in the hill districts stop all acts of narco-terrorism.

He remarked that the Government of India's efforts purportedly aimed at resolving the Manipur crisis are being delayed and are vague.

The Government's response says nothing about the repeated provocations to the State's integrity and territorial boundary.

There is no hostile discrimination of people at Imphal based on community or ethnicity, Athouba said.

He also mentioned about the mega mass rally against the Government of India's alleged proxy war scheduled on January 31, 2026 .

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