The silence of New Keithelmanbi was broken on Thursday morning as dozens of internally displaced persons (IDPs) picked up machetes and spades, hacking through waist-high grass that had swallowed their homes over the past two years.
These families, uprooted by the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur, have been living in relief camps since 2023. Now, with the state government announcing a phase-wise resettlement plan, they are cautiously returning — not to stay yet, but to prepare their abandoned homes for what could be an uncertain homecoming.
Led by Deputy Commissioner M. Rajkumar, district officials and security forces inspected the area, identifying houses sturdy enough for immediate occupation. Residents, however, remain wary.
“We are thankful for the government’s decision,” said one displaced villager, pausing amid the clearing work. “But without adequate security, we cannot risk returning. We have lived through violence once — we cannot do it again.”
The demand for security is particularly pressing in New Keithelmanbi, where Kuki and Meitei communities live in close proximity — a fault line of past clashes. Officials have promised that a combined security force will be deployed to protect returning families and maintain peace in the area.
For now, the clearing of overgrown homes is both symbolic and practical — a first step toward reclaiming lives put on hold for more than two years.
