Imphal: Activists gathered at Lamyanba Shanglen for the 26th Manipur Integrity and Solidarity Day. The event, hosted by Apunba Manipur Kanba Ema Lup (AMKIL) and the National Identity Protection Council (NIPCO), focused on the state's sovereignty. Attendees held a minute of silence for the lives lost during the June 18, 2001 uprising.
AMKIL president Lourembam Nganbi said the day honors the massive protest held on September 28, 2000. People marched then to block threats to the state borders. The tension peaked after the Indian government signed a ceasefire with the NSCN (IM) on June 14, 2001. That deal initially included the phrase "without territorial limits," which sparked massive public backlash. The government eventually withdrew the clause due to the protests.
Nganbi pushed for unity between different local communities. She also highlighted modern issues like illegal immigration and the persistence of armed groups. She questioned why those groups remain active while citizens defending their own land face legal trouble. The presidium included Nganbi, NIPCO leader Oinam Premjit, and COCOMI convenor and UCM president YK Dhiren. Lairenjam Gojen, an economics professor at Manipur College, also spoke at the event.
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