IDPs stage night-long protest against harassment from camp official in Mnp

Alleging harassment by a camp official, a group of around 120 internally displaced persons (IDPs) including women and children staged a night-long protest outside Imphal West DC office complex.
The IDPs, originally from Sapermeina, sheltered at a relief camp in Khurukhul under Sekmai police station of Imphal West district, reached the DC office around 10.30pm last night and decided to stay there the whole night, seeking an audience with the deputy commissioner to seek immediate replacement of the current camp coordinator camp coordinator RK Sanahal who verbally abused and mentally harassed them or arrange another shelter place. The protest was suspended only after the officials of the Imphal West district administration assured to address their grievances today (Sunday) morning, at 7.30 am and asked them to return to the relief camp.
After hearing their complaints, the officials assured them to look into the matters and address their grievances after due consultation with the DC and the higher authorities.
The IDPs, numbering around 120 including women and children, alleged that frequent verbal harassment from a camp official (camp coordinator) prompted them to take a decision to leave the relief camp. They told the media that they left the relief camp unable to bear with the verbal harassment by the coordinator of the relief camp. While holding talks with the officials in the presence of media persons, the IDPs stated that they no longer wanted to stay in the relief camp where they were harassed using unofficial and abusive words by the coordinator who himself is also an IDP.
Apart from the harassment meted out to them by the camp official, they faced lots of difficulties when the government support and beneficiary entitlements had not been provided to them on time.
One of the IDPs said that the camp coordinator created a hostile environment at the relief camp with constant scolding, humiliation, and abusive remarks.
“Unable to endure further, we decided to leave the camp premises. With nowhere to go, we landed here, at the DC office where we stayed the whole night by sitting at the entrance gate of the office premises,” he said.
Stating that they have been sheltering at the relief camps for the last more than two years, he lamented that the government authority was not either arranged to allow them to their original homes nor treated them well by addressing their plights coming up from time to time.
He cautioned that if no appropriate actions to address their plights permanently, the IDPs currently staying in the relief camps across the state might cross the tolerable limit and agitate against the government.
Notably, the night-long protest by the IDPs came up less than a week after the Manipur Governor reiterated the government’s commitment to providing comprehensive support to the IDPs while reviewing the status and welfare of the IDPs residing in various relief camps across the state.
During the comprehensive review meeting, the Governor emphasized the need for sustained efforts and inter-departmental coordination to address the needs of IDPs.
During the meeting, the officials made a presentation on the ongoing efforts to support IDPs with a focus on enhancing the effectiveness of relief measures.