On August 6, 133 members of the Meitei community who had been living in a relief camp in the Jiribam district of Manipur since June were safely brought back to their homes under strong security protection, marking a significant milestone in the wake of recent peace talks. This action follows a meeting last week in the Cachar district of Assam between Hmar and Meitei groups from Jiribam, where they decided to work together to bring the district’s normalcy back and guarantee the safety of both populations’ movements.
As of early August, 768 Meitei people remained in relief camps within Jiribam, while over 1,000 Hmar and Kuki individuals from the same district sought refuge in Assam’s Cachar district. This return operation marks a crucial step in addressing the displacement crisis.
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Jiribam District Police, Jiribam District Administration, and Assam Rifles (AR) led the coordinated operation. Manipur Police made the following announcement on X (formerly Twitter): “Internally Displaced People who were staying at Chingdong Leikai Primary School Relief Camp returned to their homes at Mongbung Meitei Village, Jiribam District, thanks to a coordinated effort by Jiribam District Administration, Jiribam District Police, CRPF, and AR.” One hundred and thirty-three individuals, consisting of twenty-six men, forty-five women, and sixty-two children, made a safe return to their homes.”
District authorities verified on Tuesday afternoon that the 133 people—62 women and 46 children—had been moved from the relief camp at Chingdong Leikai Primary School to their homes in Mongbung hamlet, which is about six kilometers from the town center. During the disturbances, the younger males in the village had remained put and remained part of the community.
