Manipur: Why Do Displaced Persons in Relief Camps Compare Conditions to Prison?

Imphal – Internally displaced persons (IDPs) residing in the Mandop Yumpham and Sadar Patel relief camps in Manipur voiced their discontent on Sunday by staging a protest at the Mandop Yumpham relief camp in Khurkhul, Imphal West.

They demanded immediate government action on issues related to their resettlement.

Currently, 1,048 displaced individuals are living in these camps, having been forced to flee from areas like Leimakhong, Tingri, Fayeing, Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, and Serou due to communal violence that erupted on May 3, 2023.

Having lived in these relief camps for over a year, the IDPs compared their dire situation to that of prisoners surviving on scant government provisions.

Displaced resident W. Brojen from Sapermiina shared his plight with the media, stating, “We yearn to return to our homes. The government's efforts for peace and resettlement seem merely superficial.”

Residents criticized the minimal aid provided by the government. While they acknowledged the provision of food and shelter, they are exhausted from the prolonged stay in temporary housing.

Criticizing the lack of government action, Brojen highlighted the absence of surveys to determine eligibility for resettlement.

He urged, “The government needs to identify those eligible for resettlement and ensure their safe return with adequate security measures and resettlement plans.”

Khoirom Ongbi Mercy, an IDP from Senjam Chirang, shared her distressing experience, emphasizing the heavy stress among displaced persons who now rely on medication due to the uncertain future.

Mercy expressed dissatisfaction with the changes in government schools, stating, “Before the crisis, despite financial challenges, we prioritized education and sacrificed food for our children’s future.”

She also questioned the fairness of excluding houses from the special assistance of 100,000 rupees for which no valuation had been done.

She asked, “What about families whose homes were reduced to ashes during the crisis but were not assessed?”

Mercy criticized the government's compensation announcement of 500,000 to 1,000,000 rupees for house reconstruction, questioning if this amount could truly compensate for the total loss of their hard-earned properties. She stated, “We are not satisfied with the government’s initiatives.”

Disputing Chief Minister N. Biren’s claims, displaced individual Kangjam Guni Lima from Leimakhong raised objections regarding medical team visits and distribution of financial aid.

“As claimed, we rarely saw medical teams, and the financial aid did not reach us as promised,” Lima asserted.

He claimed that the 100,000 rupees special aid intended for displaced families had not been fully received, with only 25,000 rupees distributed instead of the promised amount. Additionally, he stated that displaced individuals received a one-time financial aid of 1,000 rupees only three times, whereas the Chief Minister had claimed it was distributed four times.

The displaced individuals have urged the government and civil society organizations to intervene urgently to ensure proper resettlement and to free them from prison-like conditions.