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Manipur government forms panels to rehabilitate displaced people after month-long protest

GUWAHATI: Manipur government on Monday constituted state and district levels committees to strengthen the ongoing efforts for rehabilitation and resettlement of the people who were internally displaced by the ethnic violence. The government made an announcement on the constitution of the panels through a statement, issued hours after the internally displaced persons (IDPs) had launched a month-long protest demanding their resettlement at their original homes by this month. The statement said the constitution of the committees reflects the governments commitment to ensuring a coordinated, responsive and people-centred approach to restoring stability and supporting affected families. The state level committee will be headed by the Chief Secretary. Commissioners of Finance, Home, and Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, with the Special or Additional Secretary (Home) serving as Convenor, will provide policy direction.The district level committees will be headed by respective district magistrates. This high-level body is designed to ensure unified decision-making, enhance inter-departmental coordination, and address systemic issues that may affect the overall progress of rehabilitation and resettlement efforts across the state, the statement said. Internally displaced people clash with security forces as they attempt to return to native homes in Manipur The committees have been tasked with monitoring and coordinating all rehabilitation and resettlement initiatives for IDPs and addressing bottlenecks to ensure timely and efficient delivery of support. This structured intervention is expected to streamline processes, enhance inter-departmental coordination, and ensure that assistance reaches families, the statement further stated. The IDPs, who have been lodged in various relief camps for more than two years now, launched the protest from the Imphal West district. Meitei organisation Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) lent its support to the protestors. COCOMI convenor Khuraijam Athouba joined them on the first day of the stir. Referring to assurances from authorities that the IDPs will be able to return to their original areas by December, Athouba warned that if the government failed to ensure resettlement within this month, they would be compelled to intensify their agitation. There have been multiple incidents recently where security forces foiled the attempts of IDPs to return to their original homes in or near Kuki areas. They began making the attempts after the state administration had taken a decision to hold the Sangai Festival. Their argument was that the holding of the festival indicated the return of peace and normalcy in the state.