Manipur tribal leaders demand accountability over collected funds from displaced persons

Joint Internally Displaced Persons committees in Manipur's Churachandpur have raised serious concerns about money collected from conflict-affected families over two years ago, with no clarity on how the funds were used.

The Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum planning department had collected Rs 3,000 from each displaced household in Imphal, ostensibly to file a Supreme Court case regarding land documents and compensation. However, the affected communities say they have received no information about what happened to their money or the documents they submitted.

"We are to state that more than two years ago, the ITLF Planning Department had collected a sum of Rs 3,000 each per plot of land from Imphal area IDPs along with land patta and personal documents under the pretext of filing a case in the Supreme Court for compensation," the joint IDP committees wrote in a letter dated January 14, 2026.

The letter, signed by representatives from IDP groups, including Zomi, Vaiphei, Hmar, and Mizo communities, highlighted that the collections targeted already vulnerable and displaced people dependent on institutional support.

Despite repeated requests for clarification over the past two years, the committees say they have not received satisfactory answers about three key issues: the purpose of the collection, the status and location of submitted documents, and how the funds were actually used.

The prolonged silence has created what the letter describes as "a strong and reasonable impression" that affected IDPs were either misled or deceived by the concerned department. The committees stated this reflects "a serious failure of accountability, ethical responsibility and governance" that has damaged trust in the forum.

The joint committees are now demanding urgent responses on four points: a written report explaining the purpose and outcomes of the collected funds; full financial disclosure, including records and current status; clear information about the custody and use of collected documents; and a complete list and amount of money collected from all IDPs of Imphal area.

"This request is issued in the interest of fairness, transparency, and justice for displaced persons who are already living under extreme hardship and uncertainty," the letter stated, warning that continued silence on the matter risked further public displeasure.