IMPHAL, Dec 11: As President Droupadi Murmu begins her two-day visit to Manipur, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has appealed to her to take concrete measures to uphold constitutional rights and address the prolonged humanitarian crisis affecting thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs).
Speaking to the media on Thursday, COCOMI Convenor Khuraijam Athouba said the President, as the custodian of the Constitution, must ensure that the fundamental rights of Manipur’s citizens are protected. He highlighted that many residents displaced during the ethnic violence of May 2023 continue to live in makeshift relief camps, effectively “refugees in their own state.”
Athouba expressed concern over the lack of progress in the government’s earlier promise to resettle IDPs in three phases by the end of December. “Only 21 days remain, but there is no visible sign of movement,” he said, urging the President to announce a clear and time-bound roadmap for the safe return of all displaced families.
COCOMI, along with IDP groups, has been holding daily sit-ins at Lamboikhongnangkhong since December 1 to press for urgent intervention. Athouba criticised the state government for focusing on events like the Sangai Festival even as thousands continue to struggle in relief camps.
He further alleged that freedom of movement—constitutionally guaranteed—is not being realised in Manipur, citing restrictions on travel for certain communities along the crucial National Highways 2 and 37. Restoring such rights, he said, requires the President’s direct intervention.
Questioning whether the President’s silence would signal indifference to Manipur’s plight, COCOMI announced that its volunteers will soon begin spending nights in relief camps to better understand conditions on the ground. The group also urged senior bureaucrats to do the same.
Athouba warned that unless concrete steps are taken before December 31, public agitation will intensify across the state.
