Efforts to bring back peace in violence-affected Manipur have begun through discussions with different communities, Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh said on Friday.
Speaking to PTI after inaugurating the Girls’ Hostel of the Mission Blind School at Heikakpokpi in Tengnoupal district, Singh said representatives from various communities have been meeting him to discuss ways to achieve lasting peace in the state.
“Many groups from different communities visit me at my official residence to discuss how peace can be restored. If Meitei, Kuki and Naga communities continue to focus only on their own concerns and remain divided, Manipur will not be able to progress,” he said.
Tengnoupal district, where the programme was held, has a significant population of Kuki and Naga communities.
The Chief Minister stressed the importance of unity among all communities, stating that Manipur has historically been able to protect itself when people from different groups stood together.
He said that throughout history, the state was able to defend itself, including against Burmese invasions, only because its 36 communities remained united. He added that the present boundaries of Manipur were built and protected through the collective efforts of all communities and urged people to respect and preserve the land inherited from their ancestors.
Manipur has witnessed prolonged ethnic violence since 2023, with tensions continuing between the Meitei community living in the Imphal Valley and the Kuki-Zo communities residing in the hill areas. The Naga community also has a strong presence in several hill districts.
Acknowledging that fresh tensions in some hill areas have affected the peace process, Singh said lasting peace would require the removal of illegal weapons from all individuals.
“Conflicts can happen even within families. But we must leave the past behind, forgive each other and think about the future generation,” he said.
The Chief Minister appealed to people from all communities to cooperate and understand each other’s difficulties.
He also pointed out that despite past tensions, people from different communities have started returning to Imphal for essential services, including using flights from the airport, which he described as a positive sign towards normalcy.
