Displaced Families Clash With Security Forces in Manipur While Attempting to Return Home
Ethnic violence survivors stopped by force amid “normalcy” claims.
Hundreds of internally displaced persons in Manipur clashed with security forces on Saturday in Imphal East district as they attempted to march back to their abandoned homes, more than two-and-a-half years after ethnic violence forced them into relief camps. The confrontation erupted at Yaingangpokpi when the group, mostly women and children, was blocked from proceeding toward Gwaltabi on the district periphery.
Security personnel deployed tear gas shells in multiple rounds to disperse the crowd after the situation turned volatile. Protestors who have been living in makeshift camps since May 2023 questioned the government’s repeated claims of restored normalcy, with one woman, S Ibemcha Devi, openly challenging the authorities by asking why they were still barred from returning if peace had truly returned.
The incident marks yet another flashpoint between displaced families and security forces since the state-sponsored Sangai Festival began on November 21, with similar attempts to return home met by firm resistance and tear gas on previous occasions. Officials described the latest situation as tense but under control, even as frustration mounts among thousands still unable to rebuild their lives.
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More than 60,000 people remain displaced across Manipur due to the ongoing ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities that has claimed over 250 lives and destroyed thousands of homes. Despite official assurances of improving security, the repeated blocking of return marches has deepened distrust and highlighted the widening gap between government statements and ground reality.
As tear gas smoke cleared from the highway and distraught families retreated once again to relief camps, the clash served as a stark reminder that for many in Manipur, normalcy remains a distant promise while the wounds of 2023 continue to dictate daily existence.
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