BJP’s Meitei MLA Yumnam Singh ventures into Kuki villages to break the ice
Former rural development minister is the first BJP MLA to enter Kuki villages and relief camps to meet the displaced families since the ethnic conflict erupted
For the first time since ethnic violence engulfed Manipur in May 2023, Meitei MLA and former Rural Development Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Monday (December 8) travelled to two Kuki villages in the hill districts as a confidence-building measure and to break the ice.
Meitei MLA visits Kuki hamlets
Travelling to Litan, a Kuki hamlet in Ukhrul district bordering Myanmar, the BJP leader interacted with villagers and inquired about their lives and the hardship they have faced over the past two and a half years.
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He also visited a Kuki relief camp at Litan Sareikhong Baptist Church and interacted with Kuki inmates who had fled their homes during the violence. Yumnam said that with Christmas approaching, everyone should pray for the return of peace in the state.
Yumnam Khemchand with the residents of a Kuki relief camp
Manipur has been rocked by Meitei-Kuki ethnic conflict, with the violence claiming over 250 lives and leaving thousands homeless. More than one lakh internally displaced people are still languishing in relief camps across the state.
Communities urged to live in harmony
Yumnam, a sportsman-turned-politician and founder of the Assam Taekwondo Association in the neighbouring state, has also previously served as Speaker of the Manipur Assembly.
He consoled villagers and told them that the restoration of peace should be the primary goal of all communities residing in the state.
Addressing the 173 Kuki inmates at the relief camp, Yumnam reminded them that conflict exists in many parts of the world, but it should not be allowed to hinder Manipur’s progress and development.
He said communities must learn to live in harmony despite their differences, adding that there should be no barriers to visiting each other’s villages.
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“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 said.
First BJP leader to visit Kuki camp
He also emphasised that the conflict should not be allowed to affect the future of children, noting that while adults may have differences, the younger generation’s wellbeing must remain the priority.
Yumnam Khemchand with a small Kuki girl at the Litan Sareikhong relief camp
As Rural Development Minister, Yumnam secured a central package for the construction of 7,000 houses for internally displaced persons.
He had earlier arranged a relief camp for displaced members of the Meitei community at Manipur College in Imphal for more than seven months and helped its residents return to their homes in Serou and Sugunu villages.
Hopingson Shimray, state BJP vice-president and a prominent Tangkhul Naga leader who accompanied Yumnam, said it was a remarkable gesture for him to travel to Kuki villages in the hills at a time when many hesitate to enter areas dominated by another community. He noted that Yumnam is the first BJP Meitei MLA to visit a Kuki relief camp.
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Another Tangkhul Naga leader, former ADC chairman Mark Luithing, said Yumnam is the first leader to revive people-to-people contact since the May 2023 violence. He added that Yumnam also visited the Chassad Kuki village in Kamjong district, which also borders Myanmar.
