Imphal: Civil society organisations staged a series of sit-in protests across Imphal East and Imphal West districts on Sunday, May 17, as part of an ongoing movement to demand an end to the current crisis in Manipur. The demonstrations were coordinated by the All Manipur United Clubs Organisation in partnership with groups including the All Manipur Women's Voluntary Association, the Committee on Human Rights, the Manipuri Students' Federation, and Poirei Leimarol. These events follow a string of similar protests that have occurred throughout the state following the recent Tronglaobi bomb attack.
Participants gathered in locations such as Sangaiprou, Sagolmang, Leitanpokpi, Pukhao, and Keibi to voice their condemnation of recent civilian killings. The protesters called for the government to scrap the Suspension of Operations agreement and urged authorities to take more decisive military action against militant groups. Demonstrators argued that state responses, such as issuing condemnation statements and providing ex-gratia payments, are insufficient to address the suffering of victims or the security needs of the populace.
During the protests, participants expressed deep frustration regarding the lack of progress in achieving normalcy, noting that the conflict has persisted for years without effective intervention. Concerns were also raised regarding the long-term impact of the instability on the education sector, as frequent disruptions continue to hinder students from accessing consistent schooling. The organisers appealed to the state and central authorities to move beyond rhetoric and exercise constitutional powers more effectively to protect lives, property, and restore lasting peace to the region.
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