Amid rising tensions in Ukhrul, Y Khemchand Singh on May 20 said that disarming individuals possessing firearms across all parts of the state has become an urgent necessity to restore peace and stability in violence-hit Manipur.
The Chief Minister made the remarks during a meeting with a delegation of the Tangkhul Naga community from Sinakeithei village in Ukhrul district. The delegation, accompanied by Ram Muivah of the Naga People’s Front, urged the government to strengthen security deployment in the area due to the prevailing tense situation.
Village representatives demanded increased deployment of state police personnel, adequate manpower at the Sinakeithei police station and proper functioning of the Sub-Divisional Collector’s office in the region. The area has reportedly witnessed repeated attacks allegedly carried out by suspected militants following clashes between Kuki and Tangkhul Naga groups earlier this year.
The development comes a day after a controversial press statement allegedly issued on May 19 by a group identifying itself as “Kuki Village Volunteer Ukhrul Gamkai.” The statement reportedly warned that passenger helicopters and drones flying over Kuki-inhabited villages in the Ukhrul area could be shot down.
According to the statement, the Ukhrul-Imphal helicopter service was directed to avoid what the group described as “their airspace” and remain restricted to Tangkhul Naga villages. Low-altitude flights over Kuki villages were termed “provocative” by the group.
The statement further warned that drones seen over the Mongkot Chepu area would also be targeted and that responsibility would lie with the villages from where the drones originated.
The warning has triggered concern as the language used in the statement resembled tactics often associated with armed militant or militia groups operating in conflict zones, where self-styled organisations attempt to impose unofficial “no-fly zones” and threaten civilian or state infrastructure.
Responding to concerns raised during the meeting, Chief Minister Singh said the state government remains committed to restoring normalcy but emphasised that the crisis cannot be resolved through violence.
He stated that forcibly disarming people under the present legal framework is difficult, but reiterated that dialogue, reconciliation and cooperation among communities remain the only sustainable solution to the conflict.
The Chief Minister also appealed to civil society organisations and community leaders across Manipur to guide youth away from violence and help rebuild trust among communities.
Singh further said the government is working to create employment opportunities outside the government sector through skill development and vocational training programmes aimed at engaging the younger generation constructively.
More than 260 people have lost their lives in Manipur since ethnic violence erupted in May 2023 between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, triggering one of the state’s worst internal conflicts in recent decades.
