COCOMI demands written resettlement plan for IDPs, urges Manipur to act within December

A Meitei civil organisation has urged the Manipur government to immediately issue a clear and written resettlement plan for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), stressing that their safe and dignified return is a constitutional and moral obligation of the state.

The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) raised the demand in a memorandum submitted to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on December 26. 

The organisation expressed deep concern over the absence of a defined, time-bound policy for the rehabilitation of thousands of people displaced by the ethnic violence that erupted in the state earlier this year.

COCOMI said the lack of a structured resettlement framework has created uncertainty and prolonged hardship for IDPs living in relief camps and temporary shelters. It called for a comprehensive plan that ensures adequate security deployment in vulnerable areas, restoration of basic infrastructure, and facilitation of the safe return of displaced families to their native villages.

The memorandum asserted that the resettlement of displaced persons should not be treated as a discretionary executive action but as a constitutional responsibility of the state. It urged the administration to initiate the resettlement process within December, citing the worsening humanitarian conditions faced by displaced families.

The organisation also emphasised that any delay in rehabilitation could further erode public trust and deepen social tensions. COCOMI appealed to the governor to intervene and direct the state administration to act decisively to ensure justice, safety, and dignity for all displaced citizens of Manipur.