Thousands participate in ‘Save Manipur’ rally, demand resettlement of displaced people, preservation of territorial integrity

Normal life across the state was affected, with business establishments remaining shut and schools and colleges closed in answer to the call given by COCOMI a few days ago.

Citing the massive turnout, COCOMI Convenor Khuraijam Athouba said the rally is meant to “send out a clear message” to the Centre.

“The people of Manipur had repeatedly pursued the Government of India with urgent demands for resettlement of IDPs and resolution of the crisis, but a deliberate false narrative was being pushed to portray the situation as merely an ethnic conflict with no responsibility on the Centre’s part,” Athouba told mediapersons.

“The people waited, tolerated, and endured grave and repeated human rights violations. Yet the entire population of Manipur has effectively been kept in a hostage-like situation for over two-and-a-half years now,” said the COCOMI leader.

After the rally concluded at Thou ground in Imphal West district, a public convention was held where several resolutions were adopted. These include demand for immediate abrogation of Suspension of Operations (SoO) with Kuki armed groups, a concrete policy for IDPs to ensure their rehabilitation and resettlement within a defined timeframe, to stop cross-border activities of Chin-Kuki narco-terrorist groups, and preservation of the territorial and administrative integrity of Manipur.

The Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People’s Front (UPF) signed the tripartite SoO agreement with the government of India and Manipur on August 22, 2008. Since then, successive governments have been extending the agreement after it expired. The pact was last extended on September 4, 2025, in New Delhi.