Kangpokpi IDPs Stage Sit-in, Demand Release of Three Men Apprehended After Khongbal Incident

Kangpokpi, October 28: Hundreds of internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the Chingdai area under Saikul subdivision of Kangpokpi district, along with Kuki-Zo women from Kangpokpi town, staged a sit-in protest at the district headquarters on Wednesday, demanding the whereabouts and unconditional release of three persons apprehended in connection with the October 20 Khongbal incident.

The three persons identified as Seilal Haokip alias Alal of L. Chajang village, Lungunpao Kipgen alias Gugun of C. Zoulen village, and Hemminthang Khongsai alias Minthang of L. Chajang village were apprehended by a joint security forces team at S. Phailengkot following the killing of three Meitei woodcutters at Khongbal on October 20.

The protesters demanded immediate information about the men’s whereabouts and confirmation of their safety. They raised slogans including “Release Them Unconditionally”, “We Want Fair Justice”, “We Want Transparency” and “We Object to Biased Operations”, while opposing what they described as the stigmatisation of displaced people as criminals.

Protesters Raise Concerns Over Detention

Addressing the gathering, protester Mercy Kipgen described Seilal Haokip as a prominent civil society leader who had been working to facilitate the resettlement of displaced families in the Chingdai area as chairman of the Chingdai Area Core Committee.

According to Kipgen, Haokip was displaced on May 31, 2023, after his houses were burnt and his properties destroyed. She claimed that, under his leadership, residents had returned to their villages and undertaken resettlement efforts without government assistance.

She alleged that displaced families continued to face shortages of food, clothing, healthcare, electricity and adequate security, adding that they had yet to receive even basic food assistance from the government.

Kipgen said the other two apprehended men were also internally displaced persons whose homes were allegedly destroyed during the violence on May 31, 2023.

“Their primary concern has been to protect their villages from further destruction and facilitate the resettlement of their people,” she said.

Expressing concern over the lack of information about the three men, Kipgen alleged that their families had not been informed of where they were being held and that the investigating officer was not cooperating with them.

She criticised what she described as a biased investigation and called on the government to uphold the dignity and rights of individuals irrespective of their community.

Chingdai IDPs Allege Lack of Rehabilitation Support

Recalling the violence of May 31, 2023, Kipgen alleged that villages in the Chingdai area had been burnt and destroyed by Meitei mobs, insurgents and Arambai Tenggol.

She said displaced residents had rebuilt their lives and returned to their villages through their own efforts under the Chingdai Area Core Committee, despite what she described as an absence of government assistance.

According to Kipgen, the apprehension of the three men, including individuals she described as leaders involved in resettlement efforts, had become a major obstacle to the community’s rehabilitation programme.

She further alleged that the government's actions had raised concerns among displaced families about its commitment to their rehabilitation and peaceful coexistence with neighbouring communities.

Kipgen said residents had repeatedly sought government protection since the Meitei-Kuki conflict began in May 2023, but claimed their appeals had not been adequately addressed.

Electricity and Night Security Among Key Demands

The protesters also highlighted the lack of electricity and security concerns in Chingdai Khullen, where displaced residents have been resettling.

Kipgen alleged that security personnel deployed to protect the resettled population were unable to remain at their posts at night, when villagers felt particularly vulnerable to possible attacks. She cited the absence of electricity as a contributing factor.

She said residents had approached the deputy commissioner and other concerned authorities seeking restoration of power, but the issue remained unresolved.

“If the government is genuinely concerned about the people of Chingdai, it must restore electricity, ensure adequate security and create conditions in which people can live without fear or discomfort,” she said.

The protesters called for round-the-clock security, particularly at night, and the restoration of electricity to Chingdai Khullen. They also urged authorities to refrain from portraying displaced people and resettled villagers as criminals.

Wife Appeals for Husband’s Safe Release

In an emotional appeal, Heshi Haokip, wife of Seilal Haokip, said the uncertainty surrounding her husband's whereabouts and those of the other two men had left their families devastated.

She said the families had been waiting for information about the men’s safety and expressed distress over not knowing where they were being held.

“My husband has been working to help our people return to their homes after we lost everything,” she said, questioning why individuals involved in resettlement efforts had been apprehended.

Heshi appealed to the authorities to ensure the safe and unconditional release of the three men, saying their families had already endured the loss of homes and belongings and were now facing further emotional distress.

The protest concluded with renewed demands for transparency regarding the detention of the three men, their unconditional release, improved security arrangements and essential facilities for displaced residents in the Chingdai area.

The allegations raised by the protesters regarding the detentions, security arrangements and rehabilitation support could not be independently verified from the information available in the account.