In a powerful display of unity and resilience, thousands of people gathered at the Khuman Lampak Main Stadium in Imphal on Saturday to attend the Manipur People’s Convention—an event marking two years since the outbreak of ethnic violence in the state. Organized by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), the convention drew a massive crowd, reflecting widespread public frustration and a growing demand for justice, peace, and political resolution.
The gathering began with a solemn floral tribute to the victims of the conflict that erupted in May 2023. Over the past two years, more than 60,000 people have been displaced, and hundreds of lives lost in violence rooted in long-standing tensions between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities.
Addressing the convention, COCOMI Convenor Khuraijam Athouba criticized what he called the Centre’s “selective response” to national crises. “The disparity in response to the Pahalgam terror attack and the Manipur crisis has left people here feeling neglected. The Centre has failed to address our grievances sincerely,” he said. He emphasized that resolutions passed at the event would be submitted to the Government of India, demanding urgent action to safeguard the constitutional rights of the valley people. “If the Centre continues to remain silent, the people will take to the streets,” he warned.
Athouba also remarked that the imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur had failed to restore order. “Law and order continues to deteriorate, and there is growing consensus that President’s Rule has not worked,” he added.
Among the key voices at the event, Lourembam Nganbi, President of the All Manipur Kanba Ima Lup (AMKIL) and a prominent Meira Paibi leader, pointed to the sustained militant attacks on Meitei villages along the valley’s periphery as a reason for the ongoing unrest. She reiterated the community’s demand for implementing the National Register of Citizens (NRC) to identify and address the issue of illegal immigration from Myanmar.
Ashang Kasar, President of the Indigenous People’s Forum Manipur (IPFM), stressed the urgency of unity among indigenous communities and called for the protection of Manipur’s territorial integrity. He warned against any efforts to divide the state’s geographical or political structure.
Despite the sweltering heat, the turnout remained unwavering, with participants determined to make their voices heard. The convention served both as a memorial for the victims of the violence and as a rallying cry for meaningful political change.
The resolutions adopted at the event are expected to be submitted to national leaders in the coming days, as civil society groups intensify their push for an inclusive and lasting solution to Manipur’s deepening crisis.
