Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh has told the state Assembly that 36,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) have been resettled since the ethnic crisis erupted in the state in May 2023. The government, however, continues to provide financial assistance to around 59,000 displaced people as many returnees still face difficulties rebuilding their livelihoods.

Khemchand made the statement during a short-duration discussion on the condition of displaced people, moved by Congress MLA Th Lokeshwar Singh. According to the Chief Minister, around 60,000 people were rendered homeless during the crisis, while 24,000 remain in relief camps across the state. 

36,000 IDPs Resettled

The Chief Minister said the state has made progress in returning displaced families to their homes. He credited the collective efforts of legislators and other stakeholders for the resettlement achieved so far.

Despite the return of thousands of people, the rehabilitation process remains incomplete, with thousands still dependent on relief camps and government support.

Khemchand said displaced people from both the hills and valley share a common desire to return home and live peacefully. During visits to relief camps and conflict-affected areas, he said he interacted with people from different communities and found that the wish to return to their respective homes was widely shared. 

Financial Aid Continues

The government is continuing financial assistance for approximately 59,000 of the 60,000 displaced people identified by the state.

Khemchand explained that returning home does not necessarily mean that affected families have become economically self-sufficient. Many returnees continue to struggle because of limited livelihood and income opportunities.

The continued financial assistance is therefore being used as a support mechanism while the government explores longer-term rehabilitation and livelihood measures. 

Focus on Livelihood and Rehabilitation

The Chief Minister said financial assistance alone cannot address the consequences of a conflict that has continued for more than three years. He pointed to the psychological impact of prolonged displacement and said the Health Department was taking steps to help people dealing with mental trauma.

He also said discussions were underway with the Planning Department on additional measures for rehabilitation and livelihood support. Labour Department initiatives, including labour cards, were cited as one possible route for helping affected people access opportunities.

The state government's 2026-27 budget also outlines housing and rehabilitation assistance for displaced families. It records central approval of funds for permanent houses, compensation for belongings and movable assets lost in fully burnt houses, and assistance for repairing partially damaged homes. (manipur.gov.in)

Government Engages IDP Groups

Khemchand said he had met representatives of several joint associations of displaced people in August to discuss their concerns and explore ways to accelerate assistance and resettlement.

The government has maintained that rehabilitation requires coordination across departments as well as engagement with affected communities.

The Chief Minister appealed for suggestions from different sections and said the IDP issue should be approached without political considerations. 

Restoring Connectivity and Economy

The government is also working to restore economic activity and connectivity in the state. Khemchand said the Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati bus service had resumed and that efforts were underway to reopen the Moreh trade route.

Restoring transport and commercial links is significant for displaced families seeking to rebuild livelihoods, particularly in areas where economic activity was disrupted during the conflict.

Trust Remains Key Challenge

Khemchand identified the trust deficit between communities as one of the biggest challenges to normalisation. He said the government was working towards rebuilding trust and creating conditions that would allow people to return, restart economic activity and resume social life.

The latest Assembly statement highlights that while the physical resettlement of 36,000 displaced people represents progress, rehabilitation remains a broader process involving housing, financial support, livelihoods, mental-health assistance and restoration of community confidence.

Six individuals from the Naga community, missing since a violent intercommunal clash on May 13, are feared dead after six bodies were recovered Wednesday in Manipur's Kangpokpi district. The discovery has deepened the humanitarian crisis gripping the state, where ethnic violence between Naga and Kuki communities has claimed 731 lives over three years.

Hostages Gone for Nearly a Month

The six Naga men were taken hostage during a violent confrontation between Naga and Kuki groups at Leilon Vaiphei village in Kangpokpi district on May 13. Their fate had remained unknown for 27 days before the bodies were found on Wednesday during a major security operation in the area. Formal identification is still pending, and post-mortem examinations are underway at JNIMS Hospital in Kangpokpi. Police have confirmed that legal procedures are being completed and the investigation is ongoing.

As news of the recovery broke, relatives of the missing persons and representatives from several Naga civil organisations gathered at the hospital, with grief and anger running high.

Massive Search Operation Underway

Since the abduction, security forces mounted a significant search operation involving around 450 personnel from the Manipur Police, CRPF, and Assam Rifles, supported by sniffer dogs and forensic experts. The bodies were found in the course of this extended operation.

The scale of the deployment reflects the volatility on the ground — yet for many in the Naga community, it has done little to inspire confidence. Several Naga organisations have publicly accused security forces of bias and demanded an impartial investigation into the ongoing violence.

Violence Refuses to Abate

The recovery came amid fresh incidents across the state. On Monday, Kuki militant groups allegedly opened fire in Pongringlong Rongmei Naga village in Kangpokpi district. Shortly after, the body of a missing Naga Village Guard, Chunjanglung Panmei, was found in a nearby forest with a gunshot wound to the head.

In Senapati district on Wednesday, two trucks were set ablaze by unidentified miscreants. No arrests have been reported in connection with the arson.

On a more positive note, 14 Kuki individuals were handed over to authorities Tuesday with assistance from the United Naga Council — a rare instance of inter-community coordination that officials hope could build some ground-level trust.

Communities Push Back Against Security Forces

Tensions with security agencies have been mounting. On June 7, women in the Shokvao and New Haven areas of Ukhrul district blocked Assam Rifles personnel from advancing, staging protests with torches through the night.

In a more formal assertion of local authority, the Village Authority of Longjang/Thangal village in Noney district issued a notice to the State Police, Assam Rifles, and CRPF, directing that security personnel must inform village authorities before carrying out any search, patrol, raid, or arrest. The notice also called for restrictions on drone operations. The village authority cited its powers under the Manipur Hill Areas Village Authority Act, 1956, which grants it responsibility for local law and order.

Naga groups have further alleged that unidentified armed men opened fire in Ching Mamang village, injuring one person. They have accused the central government of using Kuki groups as part of what they describe as a "shadow war."

Thousands Still Displaced

Meanwhile, thousands of women from 14 civil organisations marched in a five-kilometre rally in Imphal on Monday, demanding implementation of the National Register of Citizens and the identification and deportation of illegal infiltrators.

RTI data paints a grim picture of the displacement crisis. Of 43,676 people still living in relief camps across nine districts, 731 have died over the past three years. Churachandpur recorded the highest toll at 248 deaths, followed by Bishnupur with 151 and Kangpokpi with 128 — the same district now at the centre of Wednesday's grim discovery.

With identifications still pending and grieving families waiting outside the hospital, Kangpokpi remains on edge.