Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Imphal: Saikul MLA Kimneo Haokip Hangshing visited internally displaced families at Songpi in Churachandpur district this Monday. Many families fled the Island Block in Saikul following the outbreak of conflict in May 2023. The displaced people primarily belong to the Vaiphei community. Hangshing also met with the Vaiphei Chiefs Association to discuss rehabilitation efforts. Life remains hard for those in camps. Overcrowding persists. Families lack privacy and basic amenities.
The MLA shared her experience after the meeting. "My interactions with the IDPs were particularly emotional. We shared their memories, their pain and most importantly, their longing to return home. Their desire to go back to their villages and rebuild their lives remains as strong as ever," Hangshing said. Displaced people continue to demand dignity, security, and justice.
Hangshing brought these grievances to the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly on September 3. She acknowledged that state security arrangements finally allowed her and the local Lok Sabha member to attend the session. However, she warned that communal tensions still stifle the region. She urged Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh to restore normalcy.
Economic blockades hurt residents. Food is scarce. Medicine is hard to find. Saikul specifically faced supply shortages for over three and a half months as local petrol pumps and filling stations stayed shuttered. The MLA demanded an immediate fix for these critical supply chains.
Hangshing also pressed for a new Central government recruitment examination centre in Kangpokpi. Local job seekers currently must travel to Ukhrul to test. Security risks often make that journey impossible. Finally, she called for faster housing reconstruction funds. She warned that current financial aid falls short of actual building costs.
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