Towards ethnic unity: Meitei MLA visits Manipur's tribal areas

Imphal: In a significant gesture since ethnic violence erupted in Manipur in May 2023, former Minister and BJP MLA Yumnam Khemchand Singh visited the tribal-majority districts of Ukhrul and Kamjong on Monday, in the first outreach by any Meitei leader to the hill areas since the conflict began.

Political observers described Singh's move as exemplary and a path-breaking initiative aimed at restoring ethnic harmony in Manipur, particularly between the majority Meitei community and the Kuki-Zo tribals.

A member of the majority Meitei community, Singh, who is also a former Speaker of the Manipur Assembly, visited the Litan and Chassad villages, where he interacted closely with the tribal residents. Litan falls under the Ukhrul district, while Chassad is located in the Kamjong district, both Naga-majority areas that are also inhabited by Kuki-Zo tribals.

A leader close to Khemchand Singh said that the former Rural Development Minister (Khemchand Singh) travelled to two Kuki villages in hill districts in a confidence-building measure and to break the ice for the first time in 31 months after the ethnic conflicts between the Meitai and Kuki-Zo community began.

Travelling to Litan, a Kuki hamlet in Ukhrul district, bordering Myanmar, the 61-year-old BJP leader interacted with Kuki villagers and inquired about their life and hardship faced in the past two and a half years.

He visited a Kuki relief camp at Litan Sareikhong Baptist Church and interacted with the inmates who fled their homes during the violence.

"With the coming of Christmas, we all should pray for the return of peace in the state," said Singh, who was elected to the state assembly from Singjamei assembly constituency in Imphal West district.

Yumnam Singh, a sportsman-turned-politician and the founder of Assam Taekwando Association in the neighbouring state, had also earlier served as the Speaker of the Manipur assembly. He consoled the villagers and told them that the return of peace should be the main target of all communities residing in the state.

Yumnam reminded the 173 Kuki inmates at the relief camp that conflict exists in every part of the world, but it should not be allowed to hinder the progress and development of the state.

"There are conflicts among different countries, there are conflicts among different communities, across the world. But we should learn to live in harmony despite the existing differences. There should not be any hindrance in visiting each other's villages," Yumnam added.

He said, "We should not allow this conflict to affect the future of our children. We, the elders, may have differences, but we should think about our children's future."

As a rural development minister, Singh brought a package for the construction of 7,000 houses from the centre for the internally displaced persons.

He had also earlier organised a relief camp for internally displaced persons of the Meitei community at Manipur College in Imphal for over seven months. (IANS)

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