By J. Haokip, Kukiland Express Desk
Songpi: April 25, 2026
About 18,000 Kuki non-camp IDPs staged a sit-in at the Wall of Remembrance, Tuibong, on Friday, alleging they have received no government aid since being displaced by the Manipur conflict. The protest ran from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, with families displaying placards that read: “Extend Direct Benefit Transfer up to 2029,” “Give equal treatment to camped and non-camped IDPs,” “No segregation of camped and non-camped IDPs,” and “Hear our cry.”
After the demonstration, IDP representatives submitted a memorandum to Union Home Minister Amit Shah through the Deputy Commissioner. Leader Vumkhoneh said appeals to the District Commissioner, Chief Secretary, Governor, Chief Minister, and Home Ministry have gone unanswered. “Not a single rupee nor a kilogram of rice or dal has been provided to non-camp IDPs,” he said, adding that extreme hardship is driving youth toward drugs while some families are forced to scavenge to survive.
Vumkhoneh pointed to a viral video in which a father purportedly offered ₹1 lakh for his daughter because he could not afford to feed her. He also alleged disparity in compensation, stating that Kuki properties destroyed in Imphal remain unpaid even as valley IDP claims have been sanctioned. The current ₹3 lakh housing aid, he noted, cannot cover construction costs in the hills and should be raised to ₹7–10 lakh per family.
The memorandum laid out four demands: end discrimination between camped and non-camp IDPs, extend DBT until 2029, provide sufficient housing grants, and deliver immediate food and essential supplies. Protesters warned that ignoring non-camp Kuki IDPs weakens ongoing peace efforts and deepens the humanitarian crisis in the hill districts.
Calling it a “final appeal,” IDP leaders pledged to continue peaceful agitation if the Centre does not respond. “We stand for peace, but we cannot let our people die in silence,” Vumkhoneh said. District officials confirmed the memorandum will be forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Kuki Non-IDPs Sit-In-Protest
Video click: https://youtu.be/pitYH5_QBoc?si=8JnMyfhBYvdPGpOG
