Imphal : A delegation, under the banner of the Churachandpur Meitei United Committee (CMUC), representing over 2,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Churachandpur district has demanded the government immediate and concrete measures for their rehabilitation and long-term welfare.
The demands were made through a memorandum to governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla and chief secretary Pradeep Kumar Singh on Monday.
The delegation met with the officials following a community gathering held on April 13 at Mangolnganbi College in Ningthoukhong, Bishnupur district.
As the conflict nears its two-year mark, displaced families say the prolonged trauma of dislocation must be addressed beyond assurances and symbolism.
“Two years to live without a home, without security, without direction is not a short period,” said Naba Ningthoujam, a representative of the committee.
“Every family uprooted from Churachandpur deserves not just food and shelter, but the right to rebuild their lives.”
The memorandum outlined four key demands. First among them was the call for sustainable livelihood through government employment schemes tailored to the skills of the displaced.
“We are not asking for charity. We are asking for opportunities and jobs that empower our people to become self-reliant again,” Naba Ningthoujam said.
The delegation appealed for a minimum allotment of 0.04 acres of land per family to construct temporary shelters in Phougakchao Ikhai, a location in Bishnupur district close to the Churachandpur border. In case state-owned land is unavailable, they requested that the government acquire at least 80 acres of private land for the same purpose.
“We are not asking for palaces. We are asking for a patch of earth to call our own even temporarily until we can return to Churachandpur with dignity,” said Ningthoujam.
“The memorandum is a plea for identity, for stability and for a future. We want to live.”
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