IMPHAL, JUNE 19: Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh today said that a united Manipur is the only way forward for all communities inhabited in the state. He said that Manipur’s identity and territorial integrity have been preserved through the ages by collective sacrifices of all its 36 communities.
Khemchand Singh said this today during the inauguration-cum-reception programme of the newly constructed Girls’ Hostel of the Mission Blind School at Laiching Heikakpokpi in Tengnoupal, a tribal dominated district. He urged everyone to love the state built by our forefathers.
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Referring to the diverse communities residing around Heikakpokpi, the Chief Minister stressed that the State can progress only through unity, mutual respect and peaceful coexistence. Drawing a comparison with Singapore, he said that development is possible only when people rise above community divisions and work together with a shared identity.
Appealing for lasting peace, Khemchand Singh said that violence can never provide a solution and urged all sections of society to resolve differences through dialogue. He said that the state’s economy has been hit hard due to the current crisis.
The Chief Minister noted that signs of normalcy have begun to emerge after more than three years of conflict and called upon everyone to safeguard the ongoing peace process for the benefit of future generations. He said that many Kukis have started travelling to Imphal to board flights and many groups have met him to discuss peace.
It can be mentioned here that, n June 17, Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh had stressed the importance of restoring lasting peace and normalcy in the state, while sharing his recent experiences from visits to conflict-affected areas.
The Chief Minister had recalled his recent visits to Jiribam, Kangpokpi, Senapati and Ukhrul, where he claimed he had witnessed encouraging signs of reconciliation among different communities. Khemchand said Kuki, Paite, Hmar and Meitei communities in Jiribam have resumed living together peacefully, sharing meals and returning to their homes, and added that he himself had lunch with members of the different communities. However, he had expressed concern that a bomb blast at Tronglaobi the following day claimed the lives of two children and seriously injured their mother, causing the situation to deteriorate once again.
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The Chief Minister had also said that while the government was making every effort to restore normalcy, lasting peace requires the cooperation of all sections of society. The Chief Minister observed that a few people continue to oppose peace because they benefit from the conflict and stressed the need to expose such vested interests and work collectively towards restoring normalcy.
The prevailing situation in Manipur is such that Meiteis, Kukis and Nagas cannot travel freely in the state. It all began on May 3, 2023, where the clashes between the Meiteis and Kuki-Zo community broke out. The crisis expanded in the beginning of this year when “problems” between the Kukis and the Nagas started.
