Kangpokpi IDPs protest, demand justice and full rehabilitation before any return

Hundreds of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Kangpokpi district gathered at Keithelmanbi Military Colony in Champhai Sub-Division on February 26, asserting that “No Return Without Justice and Normalcy,” even as the state and central government announce rehabilitation initiatives.

Organized under the Kangpokpi District Internally Displaced Welfare Committee (KDIDWC), the protest saw displaced families holding placards under the banner “Justice for IDPs,” while chanting slogans demanding accountability, transparency, and comprehensive relief before any talk of returning home.

Speaking at the protest, KDIDWC spokesperson Neihoiching Vaiphei stressed that symbolic measures cannot replace meaningful action. “Announcements alone do not restore lives disrupted by conflict,” Vaiphei said, outlining the community’s structured demands for survival, dignity, and long-term rehabilitation.

Key demands presented by the IDPs include the continuation of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) payments until normalcy is fully restored, immediate release of pending agricultural compensation for 2023 losses, full educational support for displaced students, expedited processing of property damage claims, and financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh per family, disbursed in four installments.

The displaced also called for comprehensive medical support, universal distribution of PMAY-G housing benefits irrespective of employment status, Rs 1,000 disbursed in five installments to all IDPs, enhanced compensation for destroyed homes — Rs 10 lakh for kacha houses, Rs 15 lakh for semi-pucca, and Rs 20 lakh for pucca houses — for claims filed before March 31, and immediate registration of all unregistered IDPs in the district.

While the Government of Manipur has set March 31, 2026, as the target date for rehabilitation, protestors emphasized that restoration of normalcy cannot be reduced to paperwork or deadlines. “No Return Till Normalcy Is Restored,” echoed repeatedly through the gathering, capturing the community’s insistence that sustainable peace must be anchored in justice, transparent governance, and dignified resettlement.

The protest signals that for Kangpokpi’s displaced families, despite official assurances, the struggle for equitable relief and safe return remains unresolved.