IMPHAL, Feb 11: Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh on Wednesday visited Jiribam district, which was among the worst affected by the ethnic violence and met internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Meitei and Hmar communities, stressing the need for reconciliation and lasting peace.
He also asserted that his government is dedicated to addressing the challenges of resettlement faced by IDPs.
During his first visit to Jiribam district after swearing in as the chief minister, Khemchand interacted with Meitei IDPs at a relief camp set up at Jiribam Higher Secondary School, officials said.
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Khemchand also visited Mongbung Meitei village and interacted with the villagers and told them that both sides should start interacting with each other in order to remove the trust deficit, they said.
The chief minister also told the IDPs that their concerns are being addressed by the district administration and houses are being constructed for them, and those are expected to be completed by March.
Khemchand said efforts had already begun during the President’s rule in Manipur for resettlement of the displaced people.
He said that while it is still early to announce specific timelines or methods for resolution, the government is dedicated to addressing these challenges.
“Since I took oath as the chief minister last week, my trip to Jiribam is the first outside Imphal. I feel Jiribam is the most important place in Manipur and has the potential to become a business centre. For Jiribam to become a business hub, peace is essential,” he said.
“Whatever happened has happened. It was a nightmare. We should move on with thoughts of living peacefully,” the CM added.
He also appealed to the local clubs, Meira Paibis (women torch-bearing activists), journalists and all to take equal responsibility to restore peace and normalcy in the district and the state.
Earlier in the day, he interacted with IDPs from the Hmar community and urged people to remain calm and united.
During his interaction, which included relatives of Zosangkim, a 31-year-old Hmar woman killed in November 2024 amid the ethnic conflict in Jiribam district, Singh stressed the need for reconciliation.
“We need to find out why we are not able to come together. First of all, we are all human beings, then we are Indians. We need to think about our younger generation and must keep ourselves calm,” he said.
More than 260 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence in the state since May 2023. (PTI)
