Imphal: Manipur Chief Minister Y. Khemchand has assured local communities that state security forces will be positioned in the Nongshum area of Imphal East to alleviate safety anxieties caused by the scheduled relocation of an insurgent camp.
The commitment was made during a high-level meeting at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat with representatives from the Iramdam Kanba Lup (IKAL) and residents of Nongshum. Local villagers have been staging intense protests against a directive ordering the Pambei-led United National Liberation Front (UNLF-P) to vacate its designated peace camp in the area. Fearing that the withdrawal of the Meitei outfit would leave their border villages highly vulnerable to cross-border ethnic attacks, residents had previously blocked camp exits to prevent the cadres from leaving.
Addressing the delegation, Chief Minister Khemchand explained that the peace camp's shifting is governed by high-level ground rules negotiated directly between the Centre and the UNLF-P, meaning the state government cannot stall the relocation. However, to guarantee local safety, he promised an immediate assessment to station state security units at the site. The Chief Minister also pledged to formally convey the border community's security grievances to New Delhi.
For on-the-ground footage of the village demonstrations and details regarding the community's safety anxieties, you can watch this report on the Nongshum UNLF-P Camp Relocation Protests.