theTripurapost News Images

Manipur CM Visits Violence-Hit Jiribam

  • By Thetripurapost Desk, Imphal
  • Feb 11, 2026
  • 576

Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Wednesday visited Jiribam district and met members of both the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities in a significant peace outreach effort amid lingering ethnic tensions in the State.

The visit marked Mr. Singh’s first to the violence-affected district since ethnic clashes erupted on May 3, 2023, claiming over 260 lives and displacing nearly 62,000 people. Jiribam, which borders Assam’s Barak Valley, has remained one of the sensitive zones in the conflict landscape.

During his tour, the Chief Minister interacted with internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the Meitei community at Jiribam Higher Secondary School. He later met Kuki-Zo-Hmar IDPs and visited Jairalpokpi, a Kuki-Zo-Hmar village that witnessed widespread arson and destruction during the 2023 violence.

Describing the outreach as part of a broader reconciliation initiative, Mr. Singh urged relief camp inmates to work towards bridging the trust deficit that has deepened over the past two years. Stressing the strategic importance of Jiribam, he said, “Jiribam is the gateway to Manipur and has the potential to become a business hub. For business to flourish, peace has to come first.”
Calling the past two years a “nightmare,” he appealed to communities to move beyond bitterness and focus on rebuilding.

“Let us forget the last two years and have the courage to move forward towards peace and development,” he said while addressing residents in a Hmar village.

In a broader appeal for unity, the Chief Minister remarked, “First, we are Indian, and then we are Manipuri. We can be Manipuri Naga, Manipuri Kuki, and Manipuri Meitei. We need to rebuild the concept of Manipuri someone is trying to destroy.”

The Hmar villagers assured support to the State government and highlighted the need for improved infrastructure, especially the reconstruction of their school building.

Mr. Singh assured displaced families that district authorities are addressing their concerns and said houses being built for homeless IDPs are expected to be completed by March.

Meanwhile, tension persists in parts of Ukhrul district following a recent Kuki-Naga flare-up in the Litan area. An assault incident on February 7 triggered violence over the next three days, during which around 40 houses were reportedly torched, forcing several families to seek safer shelter. Authorities have suspended internet services, including broadband, in Ukhrul district as a precautionary measure. No fresh incidents have been reported so far.

The Chief Minister’s visit is being seen as a critical step in restoring confidence and reviving dialogue in a State still grappling with the aftershocks of prolonged ethnic strife.