Manipur Resettles 36,000 Displaced People As Crisis Strains State

Imphal: Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh announced on September 3 that 36,000 people have returned home following the ethnic conflict that ignited in May 2023. Roughly 60,000 individuals were forced from their homes during the violence. The update came during a state Assembly session sparked by a discussion from Congress MLA Th Lokeshwar Singh.

About 24,000 people remain in relief camps. The state continues to send monthly financial aid to 59,000 displaced persons to cover ongoing livelihood gaps. Many who returned home still struggle to earn a living. The Chief Minister noted that money cannot fix everything. He said, "Financial assistance alone cannot address the impact of a conflict that has continued for three years."

Mental health remains a priority as the Health Department targets trauma caused by the prolonged crisis. Officials are also looking at long-term rehabilitation through labor cards and the Planning Department. The government recently revived the Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati bus line and intends to reopen the Moreh trade route soon.

Khemchand emphasized that people in both hills and valleys want the same thing. They want to go home. He urged leaders to set aside politics to handle the humanitarian fallout. Rebuilding trust between fractured communities stands as the government's primary hurdle to lasting peace.