Reported by Bit Irom
Imphal: Hundreds of villagers, joined by members of the Meira Paibi women’s groups, staged protests and road blockades on Saturday, preventing the relocation of designated camps of the Pambei-led United National Liberation Front (UNLF-P) from Nongshum in Imphal East district and Phayeng in Imphal West district.
The protests erupted after UNLF-P cadres reportedly began vacating the camps in compliance with a directive issued by the outfit’s Military Affairs Committee.
Demonstrators opposed the move, arguing that the presence of the UNLF-P camps serves as a crucial security buffer for villages located on the periphery. They claimed that withdrawing the camps would leave the northern approaches to Imphal East vulnerable and create a security vacuum amid the continuing ethnic tensions in the state.
Following the protests, Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh held discussions with representatives of the affected village committees. According to the protesters, the Chief Minister assured them that no immediate decision on the relocation would be taken without further consultations.
The Pambei faction of the UNLF signed a peace agreement with the Union government on November 29, 2023, paving the way for rehabilitation and financial assistance for its cadres. As part of the agreement, the Centre provides monthly stipends to eligible insurgents. The Manipur government has recently submitted a proposal to the Union Home Ministry seeking the release of the second instalment of Rs 5.16 crore to cover stipends for the period from May to October 2024.
Despite the relocation directive, the designated camps remain in place as local residents continue to resist their withdrawal, insisting that the status quo be maintained until adequate security arrangements are ensured for the vulnerable border villages.