Thousands of Meira Paibis held a protest rally at Wangjing in Thoubal district, Manipur on Monday around 8.30 pm, demanding government action against the ongoing violence inflicted on the Meitei community by Kuki militants.
The rally organised by Wangjing-Lamding Apunba Meira Paibi Lup saw a massive turnout, including displaced victims of the conflict who are currently residing in relief camps at Wangjing Kodompokpi Sports Complex and Lamding Higher Secondary School participated in the rally.
They started marching from Irabot Square at Wangjing-Heirok Lamkhai, proceeded along NH-102, and passed through Tentha Lamkhai, Wangjing-Lamding Keithel, and Khangabok Sorojini Oil Pump, before circling back to the starting point.
Speaking on the sideline of the rally, secretary of Wangjing-Lamding Apunba Meira Paibi Lup, Laishram Shanti, expressed her frustration over the Kuki militants’ use of drones and rocket bombs to attack Meitei villages. She criticised both the state and central governments for failing to take action against these assaults, maintaining that it is the government’s duty to protect its citizens and urged for immediate resolution of the crisis.
Citing the disparity of the government, Shanti condemned the disarming of Meitei village volunteers, who are defending their communities, while no arrests are being made of Kuki militants' unabated attacks using drones and rocket bombs. She warned that if the central government does not resolve the conflict at the earliest, demands for a separate nation might arise as a last resort.
On the other hand, a victim, Leisangthem Tamem from Moreh, shared her anguish, stating that the victims have been living in relief camps since May 3, 2023, fleeing from Kuki militants aggression. Citing the longs to return to their homes, she stressed that they remain stuck in a state of uncertainty as the government fails to resolve the crisis.
The protesters also observed a two-minute silence in honor of those who lost their lives in the ongoing conflict. During the rally, they held placards which read as ‘Eradicate Kuki Narco-Terrorists,’ ‘Deport Illegal Immigrants from Manipur,’ ‘No to Separate Administration,’ ‘Drone Bombing is an act of Terrorism,’ and ‘Reject the Proxy War Against the Meitei Community.’ They also chanted slogans reflecting their demands.