The memorandum lists destruction of over 12,000 homes, 360 churches, and 200 schools, calling it the erasure of the community’s cultural and religious life.
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi, September 13 – The Outer Manipur Kuki Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Welfare Committee has submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking urgent intervention to address what it calls a grave humanitarian and constitutional crisis facing thousands of displaced Kuki families in Manipur.
The memorandum, signed by Lenin Haokip, General Secretary of the committee, highlights the destruction and displacement caused since May 3, 2023, when violence erupted across the state. According to the committee, over 1,860 houses in Imphal colonies and more than 220 tribal villages have been destroyed, 230 people killed, 482 injured or disabled, and thousands forced into relief camps across Kangpokpi, Churachandpur, Tengnoupal, Chandel, Pherzawl, Kamjong, and Jiribam.
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The group also cited the loss of over 12,000 homes, 360 churches, 200 schools, and numerous community halls, describing it as the erasure of the Kuki people’s social, cultural, and religious life.
Constitutional Violations Alleged
The memorandum accuses the state of violating multiple constitutional provisions—including Articles 14, 21, and 371C—along with landmark legal safeguards such as the Samatha Judgment and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. It also points to the failure to implement RBI guidelines for loan relief in calamity-affected areas.
Key Demands
The Kuki IDPs’ body has sought:
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A 72-month loan moratorium and suspension of all recovery or foreclosure proceedings against displaced families.
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Restructuring of loans through the State Level Bankers’ Committee (SLBC), with reduced EMIs and possible waivers for widows, orphans, and families whose homes were destroyed.
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Immediate safeguarding of abandoned Kuki homes, lands, churches, and schools from illegal encroachment, along with the dismantling of unauthorized militant camps in hill districts.
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Fair compensation under the RFCTLARR Act, 2013, covering homes, lands, churches, schools, and community halls.
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Invocation of the Central Victim Compensation Fund (CVCF) to provide ₹10 lakh to families of deceased, injured, and sexual violence victims, along with government employment to one dependent of every deceased victim.
Appeal to the Prime Minister
The memorandum urged the Prime Minister to ensure protection, justice, and permanent rehabilitation for displaced Kukis, warning that denial of relief and safeguards would only deepen alienation. It called for a special monitoring committee under PM supervision to oversee compensation and rehabilitation.
“The survival and dignity of the displaced Kuki people now rests in the hands of the Union Government,” the memorandum concluded, appealing for urgent action to restore constitutional protections and ensure justice.