Meitei Woman's Struggle After Losing Home in Manipur Ethnic Violence: The Fight to Return and Rebuild

A young Meitei woman from Manipur recently shared her distressing experience as an internally displaced person during a protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar.

New Delhi:

Meitei community members gathered at Delhi's Jantar Mantar for a sit-in protest, claiming the government has failed to facilitate the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their homes in Manipur, despite over two years passing since the ethnic violence erupted.

The protesters are demanding that all IDPs be allowed to return safely and with dignity to rebuild their shattered lives.

One young woman recounted losing her home in Churachandpur and described her subsequent struggles. "We abandoned everything. I've been pursuing cabin crew training, but when I applied for a passport, Churachandpur police refused verification, stating 'the individual's house is not at the given address,'" she explained.

"It's common knowledge that our houses were burned down and we cannot return. Nobody is offering assistance. We're not requesting special treatment - we simply want to reclaim what belongs to us: our homes, land, happiness, and memories," she continued.

The woman made a direct appeal to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant to take suo moto action regarding armed groups preventing IDPs from returning home, despite the significant security presence in the region.

Fellow protesters emphasized that immediate judicial intervention is essential to restore hope and ensure justice for thousands of displaced families. They urged all stakeholders to take urgent action to protect constitutional rights and human dignity.

A coalition of Meitei organizations representing IDPs submitted a joint memorandum to President Droupadi Murmu. Their requests included initiating inter-community dialogue, arranging safe return for displaced persons, and rebuilding destroyed homes in Churachandpur, Moreh, Kangpokpi, Imphal East, and other affected areas within a specific timeframe.

"For families with pattadar land, reconstruction must occur on their original property," stated the memorandum.

President Murmu visited Manipur for two days last week. During her visit, she reminded residents that their "beautiful land" derives strength from its diversity. She suggested that the visible divide between hill and valley communities is detrimental, emphasizing that these regions have historically complemented each other.

Manipur has been under President's rule since February.

"Manipur's strength comes from its diversity, culture, languages, and traditions. The hills and valley have always complemented each other. Like two sides of the same beautiful land, I urge all communities to support peace efforts, understanding, and reconciliation," President Murmu stated at an event in Senapati district, 60 km from Imphal, during her visit's second day.

The Meitei-Kuki ethnic conflict began over various issues including land rights and political representation. The violence has resulted in over 260 deaths and the internal displacement of nearly 50,000 people.