Displaced people hold protest demanding resettlement
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, September 01 2023:
Displaced people of Leimakhong area organised a protest on Friday demanding the government to allow them to return to their homes and resettle there.
Protestors told media persons that attack on the Meetei residents of Leimakhong area and burning of houses began from May 29 after which they fled their homes and took shelter in nearby relief camps since then.
For the fifth time, Kuki militants attacked Meetei village of Leimakhong area on Thursday around 5 pm and burned the abandoned houses of Sagolsem Joykumar and Ngangbam Arun.
Raising strong objection against the persistent and unprovoked attack by Kuki militants, the displaced people of Leimakhong area came to the street and organised a protest rally towards their village demanding the government to allow them to return home and resettle.
However, a team of Indian Army stopped them near the forest beat office located at Kanto Sabal leading to a tense situation.
A woman protestor said that despite the claims of central security forces guarding the abandoned Meetei houses, there have been multiple instances of attack, looting and arson activities.
Recalling Thursday's arson, she enquired how the Kuki militants were able to sneak in despite deployment of central security forces and torch the two houses.
They had raised the same demand for allowing them to return home so that they could defend themselves from the Kuki militants, to local MLA Heikham Dingo on August 29.They can no longer trust the central security forces for protection of their properties, she said.
Amid the tense situation, a nine-member team of the protestors including six women were allowed to meet the Deputy GOC of Mountain Division, during which the army officer asked them to submit a written representation detailing their grievances and demands.
Later, a public meeting was held at Kanto Sabal, which was attended by residents of different villages located between Phayeng and Leimakhong.
The meeting resoled to demands shifting of duty post of army set up in front of forest beat office beyond the ex-servicemen colony of Leimakhong Chingmang; flush out Kuki women keeping vigil in Leimakhong Chingmang Meetei village; take up steps to provide a secure environment for allowing the displaced people to return to their home and resettle; and to prevent movement of armed Kuki people in areas under the control of the Army unit.
The demands will be submitted to the authority of 57 Mountain Division on Saturday.