Asem Bhakta
Special Correspondent North East
Imphal: Manipur marked the 25th anniversary of the Great June Uprising on Thursday with ceremonies at Kekrupat, where 18 people who died in the 2001 protests were cremated.
Organised by AMUCO and UCM under the Observation Committee for the 25th Great June Uprising–Unity Day 2026, the event drew residents, student groups, women’s organisations, and families of the victims. Floral tributes and traditional Thang-Ta salutes formed the core of the observance.
UCM General Secretary Santa Nahakpam, co-convenor of the committee, said the 2001 agitation remains a turning point. He criticized the lack of public disclosure of the CBI probe into the killings and said the case ended without fixing responsibility.
Linking the past to the present, Nahakpam said victims of the violence since May 3, 2023, also await justice. He flagged concern over separate peace talks with different communities and urged the Centre to ensure accountability for all conflict cases.
He cautioned that if demands around Separate Administration, flag issues, and constitutional safeguards are not addressed soon, Manipur could see agitation on the scale of June 18, 2001. The state’s territorial and administrative integrity, he said, remains non-negotiable.
BJP MLA Khongbantabam Ibomcha Singh said unity is Manipur’s main defense. He paid tribute to the martyrs and argued that national interest must take precedence over other considerations. MLA Sapam Nishikanta called for trust and dialogue between communities to bring back normalcy.
The day commemorates protests against the 2001 extension of the NSCN (IM) ceasefire “without territorial limits,” which led to large-scale demonstrations across the state.
