For the first time since 2023, a Meitei BJP Leader travelled to Kuki areas in Manipur to promote peace and unity
In a historic move since the ethnic violence that shook Manipur in May 2023, Meitei BJP Leader (MLA) and former Rural Development Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh visited Kuki villages in the hill districts on Monday, signaling a confidence-building effort and a push for communal harmony.
Yumnam travelled to Litan, a Kuki hamlet in Ukhrul district bordering Myanmar, where he interacted with villagers and inquired about their lives and hardships over the past two and a half years. He also visited a relief camp at Litan Sareikhong Baptist Church, meeting with 173 Kuki inmates who fled their homes during the conflict.
Speaking to the villagers, Yumnam said, “With the coming of Christmas, we all should pray for the return of peace in the state.”
He consoled the displaced and stressed the importance of unity, saying, “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 also emphasized the long-term perspective of reconciliation: “We should not allow this conflict affect the future of our children. We, the elders, may have differences, but we should think about our children’s future.”
The former Rural Development Minister also highlighted his efforts to support displaced persons, bringing a central government package for the construction of 7,000 houses. He has previously organized relief camps for Meitei IDPs and helped many return to their villages in Serou and Sugunu.
Yumnam’s visit, accompanied by Hopingson Shimray, state BJP vice president and Tangkhul Naga leader, and former ADC chairman Mark Luithing, also included Chassad Kuki village in Kamjong district, another area bordering Myanmar. Shimray described the visit as a “remarkable gesture,” noting that Yumnam is the first BJP Meitei MLA to step into a Kuki relief camp. Luithing added that the visit marks the first people-to-people contact since the May 2023 violence.
Manipur has been reeling from Meitei-Kuki ethnic conflict that claimed over 250 lives and left thousands homeless. Over one lakh internally displaced persons still reside in relief camps across the state. Yumnam’s visit is seen as a step toward rebuilding trust and fostering dialogue between the communities.
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