TAMENGLONG, May 23: Thousands of residents from across Tamenglong and nearby districts poured into the streets today in a massive democratic rally, demanding the protection of their ancestral land and natural resources. Organized by the Joint Action Committee (JAC), the protest marked one of the largest public demonstrations ever witnessed in the region.

The JAC comprising the Zeme Naga Council Manipur (ZNCM), Liangmai Naga Council (LNCM), Rongmei Naga Council Manipur (RNCM), Inpui Naga Union (INU), and the affected village committees of Zeilad, Buning, and Jiri Makru Wildlife Sanctuaries — was joined by the Village Authority Chairman Council (VACC) and the Chairmen Secretaries Association Tamenglong (CSAT).

Protesters raised concerns over the declaration of wildlife sanctuaries, reserve forests, protected forests, and seismic surveys (labeled D2 and D3) in Tamenglong and Noney districts. Carrying placards with slogans such as “Our Land, Our Lives, Our Right,” “We Are Guardians Not Encroachers,” and “Development Must Be With Us, Not Against Us,” demonstrators voiced their rejection of development policies imposed without local consent.

Currently, three wildlife sanctuaries — Zeilad, Buning, and Jiri Makru — have been designated in Tamenglong. Local communities claim these were declared unilaterally, without Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), in violation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP 2007) and other national protocols.

Organizers stated that the turnout was unprecedented, with participants arriving from all over the district, including Noney, Tousem, and Tamei subdivisions. Shops, transport services, and businesses were shut down in a show of solidarity with the protest.

The rally began at Apollo Ground and culminated at Jadonang Park. Following the march, JAC leaders submitted a memorandum to the Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change through the Deputy Commissioner’s Office in Mini Secretariat, Farmland. Copies were also sent to key authorities including the Secretary, Ministry of Environment, the Governor of Manipur, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, the Chief Wildlife Warden, and the Divisional Forest Officer of Tamenglong.