Thousands Protest In 5 Manipur Districts Against Killings, Ethnic Conflict

Imphal: Thousands of people across Manipur's five valley districts took to the streets on Friday evening, staging a "sound protest" against continued killings, the government's alleged failure to restore normalcy and the prolonged ethnic conflict in the state.

The protest, held from 7.30 pm to 8 pm, saw people in different localities of Imphal and other parts of the valley bang utensils, beat drums, strike electric poles with hammers and honk vehicle horns to express their anger and frustration over the prevailing situation.

The protesters accused the government of failing to resolve the ethnic crisis and address a range of demands raised by sections of the public, including the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC), identification of illegal immigrants and abrogation of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with armed groups.

The protest was organised in response to a call issued by the Federation of Haomee, a civil society organisation, urging people to make noise simultaneously for 30 minutes to convey public resentment over the continuing violence and the government's handling of the crisis.

In Imphal, protesters marched towards Kangla, the historic seat of political and cultural authority of the erstwhile kingdom of Manipur. The heritage complex is located close to Lok Bhavan and the Chief Minister's Secretariat.

Security personnel stopped groups of protesters at Palace Compound, Moirangkhom and Keisampat junctions as they attempted to move towards Kangla. However, hundreds of protesters managed to reach the fort's entrance but were prevented from entering the premises.

The protest came amid continued public frustration over the prolonged conflict, recurring incidents of violence and the absence of a lasting resolution to the crisis that erupted in May 2023.

The organisers sought to turn the coordinated noise into a collective expression of public anger, pressing the government to take decisive steps to restore peace and address their demands.