“We are not criminals”: Displaced persons slam inhuman camp conditions in Manipur

Mounting frustration over prolonged displacement spilled onto the streets on Monday, January 12 as internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Manipur staged a protest march, questioning the government’s intent and accusing authorities of forcing them to live in “open jail–like conditions” in relief camps for nearly three years.

The protest was organised by IDPs in association with the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), demanding immediate resettlement and restoration of their fundamental rights. The demonstrators expressed anguish over what they described as prolonged administrative apathy, deteriorating living conditions, and the absence of a clear rehabilitation roadmap.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the protest, Mayengbam Ratan Singh, one of the displaced persons, voiced deep emotional distress over their continued confinement in relief camps. “Living in a relief camp for almost three years is unbearable. People are desperate to return home and rebuild their lives, but instead, we are left to languish in pathetic conditions,” he said.

Ratan Singh alleged that the prolonged uncertainty has pushed many displaced individuals into extreme mental distress, with some reportedly taking their own lives while waiting for rehabilitation. “How long are we expected to survive like this?” he asked.

Rejecting any political or separatist intent, the protestors clarified that they were not demanding separate administration, Union Territory status, or any move that could undermine Manipur’s territorial integrity. “We are not asking for anything that will disintegrate Manipur. We only want to return to our ancestral homes where our forefathers lived,” Ratan Singh asserted.

Questioning the moral and constitutional responsibility of the state, he said, “We are common citizens. We have committed no crime. Then why are we being treated like prisoners?” Addressing the Prime Minister and the President of India, he asked whether this was an appropriate way to treat law-abiding citizens.

Sharing his personal ordeal, Ratan Singh said most displaced families no longer even know the exact location of their destroyed homes. “Our houses have been reduced to ashes. We don’t even know where they stood anymore. All we know is that we belong to Churachandpur,” he said.

The protestors also questioned the effectiveness of India’s constitutional and judicial safeguards. “Does this country not have a Constitution or a judiciary to protect us and ensure justice?” Ratan Singh asked, stressing that IDPs are indigenous people of Manipur and not refugees from neighbouring countries.

As the agitation intensified, speakers repeatedly described relief camps and prefabricated shelters as “open jails,” urging the government to take urgent steps to ensure dignified resettlement, security, and the restoration of basic human and constitutional rights.