Police in Manipur on Monday prevented Meitei activist Malem Thongam entry into a Kuki dominated locality on the second day of her on going peace campaign on bicycle. Thongam, whose campaign started on March 12 at Lamangdong Keithel in Bishnupor, was seeking to preach communal harmony by a cycling through the districts hit by ethnic violence. But the police did not allow her to cross the border line between Meitei and Kuki zones on the grounds of security.
ITLF, a major Kuki group, came out with a statement that Thongam should not venture into Churachandpur since it would breach the buffer zone and might trigger a reaction among locals. The ITLF emphasized that the activist would be in full control of any untoward incidents and asked its members to watch out. Thongam was told by a police team that she was not to stay over at all and proceed to Churachandpur.
In spite of the ban, Thongam repeated her desire of spreading her message of peace and said she is planning to cover the entire districts of Manipur. Since May 2023, which has taken the lives of at least 260 people, the state has been split into buffer zones due to ethnic conflict between Meiteis and Kukis since May 2023, displacing about 60,000 people.
These areas have worked well in isolating the two groups, and the governments are still playing vigil to ensure that no frictions occur. In the campaign by Thongam, the activities of people who have struggled to overcome divisions despite security and political restraints are brought to light.
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