Manipur: Displaced Dolaithabi villagers cross Iril River to reclaim homes, threaten agitation

In a dramatic display of resilience and frustration, around 100 internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Dolaithabi village in Imphal East district, currently residing at the Sajiwa Relief Camp, attempted to return to their native village on Tuesday after being displaced for more than two years. 

The group was intercepted by security personnel near the sensitive Pukhao Terapur area and denied passage.

Undeterred, several villagers bypassed the security blockade by crossing the Iril River on foot, successfully reaching Dolaithabi. The move, however, was not merely symbolic — it was an act of defiance and desperation by people who have endured years of displacement following the ethnic conflict that erupted in May 2023.

Speaking to media, one of the returnees, RK Prem Singh, said the villagers were determined not to return to the relief camp unless authorities provided a firm assurance for their resettlement. “We’ve had enough. We crossed the river to return to our land. We cannot continue living like this in the camps,” he said.

Also Read: MP Bimol opposes extension of President’s Rule in Manipur, calls it 'undemocratic'

Prem Singh noted that only two houses remain intact in Dolaithabi; the rest were burned down or destroyed during the violence, allegedly by armed Kuki miscreants. “It’s heartbreaking to see our farmland now being cultivated by others,” he added, calling it both a personal and communal loss.

While the group initially refused to return to the relief camp, they later agreed to go back after the Deputy Commissioner reportedly assured them that resettlement would be arranged within two months. Despite this, the IDPs have issued a stern warning: if they are not allowed to return home within the promised timeframe, they will launch a more intense agitation.

“We may even be driven to end our lives if the government cannot ensure our return. There is no livelihood in the relief camps. In our village, we can at least restart farming,” Singh said emotionally, holding back tears.

The attempted return of the Dolaithabi villagers has amplified calls for urgent rehabilitation of displaced communities across Manipur. With many relief camps still overcrowded and lacking basic infrastructure, the displaced continue to live in uncertainty, waiting for the day they can return home and rebuild their lives.