Meitei Leader Visits Kuki Camp in Manipur, Urges Unity for Future Generations
Meitei Leader Visits Kuki Camp in Manipur, Urges Unity for Future Generations
Meitei BJP leader Yumnam Khemchand visits a Kuki relief camp in Ukhrul, urging unity to safeguard future generations amid Manipur's ongoing ethnic tensions.
A Meitei Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, Yumnam Khemchand, visited a camp housing more than 500 displaced Kukis at Litan Sareikhong in Manipur’s Ukhrul district. This was the first such visit since ethnic violence erupted in May 2023, leaving over 260 people dead and more than 60,000 displaced. Security agencies have since established buffer regions between Meitei-majority valleys and Kuki-Zo tribal hills, highlighting the fragile, partitioned nature of the state. Khemchand used the moment to call for cooperation and open dialogue, warning that divisions could hinder development and harm future generations. He noted that limited meeting and communication between communities had already stymied progress and urged both sides’ elders to come together to chart a peaceful path forward.
Nhepu Khongsai, a displaced resident, told reporters they have suffered for nearly three years and appealed for rehabilitative action from authorities. Hopingson Shimray, a former BJP lawmaker who accompanied Khemchand, emphasized the need to rebuild trust and restore normalcy as part of a broader peace initiative. He described the programme as a starting point for reconciliation in Manipur. The state has been under president’s rule since February 13 after N. Biren Singh resigned as chief minister, underscoring the seriousness with which authorities are treating the disruption and the ongoing drive to stabilize the region.
Cover image source: In a first, Meitei MLA visits Kuki relief camp in Manipur 🔗
