Relief camp inmates sit on mass hunger strike; sisters don’t celebrate Ningol Chakkouba

Hundreds of relief camp inmates are angered with the silence of the Central and state government. They are asking the governments when will the violence end and when will they be able to return to their homes.

The miseries and agonies of the people of Manipur lingers on. Though the incidents of violence have gone down, life in the northeastern state where violence broke out on May 3, is far from normal.

People are yet to come to terms with what has happened. The predominantly Hindu state did not celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights and one of the key festivals of the Hindus.

Today the sisters, the women folk of the state did not celebrate Ningol Chakkouba (similar to Bhai Dooj or Raksha Bandhan) as a mark of solidarity with the families who have lost their loved ones or have suffered because of the clashes between two communities.

On the other hand, Internally Displaced People held a mass hunger strike at various relief camps. The hunger strike was organised as a reminder of the pain the people of the state are going through and to ask questions to the Government of India and Manipur why they are silent. When will Government conclude this conflict, when will the Government bring peace in the state, when will the Government send the displaced people living in relief camps for six months, back to their respective places.

One of the woman IDPs said, “We are the women, we are the betis (daughters) of the nation, we are suffering for the last 6 months. Why is the Government silent? We want to go back to our own homes. Finish the conflict as soon as possible”.

Also Read: Manipur MLA Kimneo Hangshing distributes blankets to people in relief camps