Manipur and former Rural Development Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Monday travelled to two Kuki villages in Manipur’s hill districts in what he described as a confidence-building measure.
Manipur MLA’s Visit to Kuki Relief Camp
Manipur and former Rural Development Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Monday travelled to two Kuki villages in Manipur’s hill districts in what he described as a confidence-building measure.
Khemchand visited Litan, a Kuki hamlet in Ukhrul district bordering Myanmar, and interacted with villagers about the hardships they have faced over the past two and a half years. He later stopped at the Litan Sareikhong Baptist Church relief camp, home to 173 internally displaced Kuki inmates.
“With Christmas approaching, we should pray for the return of peace in the state,” the BJP MLA told inmates, urging communities to prioritise harmony and the future of children over lingering tensions.
Manipur has remained deeply scarred by the Meitei–Kuki conflict, which has claimed over 250 lives, displaced more than one lakh residents, and left thousands in long-term relief camps.
However, shortly after the MLA’s visit, three influential Kuki bodies issued strong objections, calling the visit unauthorised, insensitive, and politically motivated during an ongoing crisis.
In a clarification issued by the Litan Sareikhong Relief Centre, camp in-charge Lunkhojang Baite stated that the majority of inmates had left for work when Khemchand arrived unannounced with BJP workers.
The release said the MLA used the absence of elders and camp authorities “to make an uninvited stop, taking photographs with unsuspecting children before quickly departing.”
It also criticised media houses that “merged unrelated events” to suggest an interaction between the MLA and IDP residents.
The camp authority called the portrayal “highly unethical” and distanced itself from the episode.
The Kuki Inpi Ukhrul (KIU) issued a separate press note fiercely condemning the visit as an “unauthorized appearance accompanied by excessive security.”
The KIU called it a “serious breach of protocol, propriety and humanitarian sensitivity,” saying it caused distress among displaced families still living under trauma.
The body questioned the MLA’s absence during the violent days of May 3–7, 2023:
“Where were you when Kukis were persecuted, displaced, and subjected to unimaginable cruelty?”
It alleged that the visit appeared aimed at creating a misleading impression of normalcy and criticised certain media for “falsely portraying an interaction” between the MLA and inmates.
The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) also released a statement labelling the MLA’s stop at the camp as an “irresponsible publicity stunt.”
They said Khemchand made the visit without notifying Kuki-Zo leaders or camp authorities, later circulating photos online to project himself as a peace-maker.
The statement questioned why the MLA stayed silent during the peak of violence and warned that unannounced visits to Kuki areas could spark misunderstandings during a sensitive time.
“Peace must be discussed at the appropriate table—not manufactured through photo opportunities or viral videos,” the KZC stated.
