By Kampan Chinnam
Guwahati, Oct. 5, 2024: Community leaders and organizations in Manipur’s Ukhrul district have called for peace and reconciliation after clashes during a cleanliness drive on Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary left four dead and five wounded.
“Each heart that bleeds today is a wound on our shared soul. We must choose peace and refrain from violence,” said Ram Muivah, former bureaucrat and Member of the Legislative Assembly.
Speaking at another public function, Muivah highlighted the traditionally peaceful Ukhrul. He said that arms looted during the conflict have been returned to the police station, indicating restoration of order.
The Naga Women’s Union, led by Priscilla Thiumai, expressed condolences to the bereaved families and reminded both villages of their shared heritage. The women urged the communities to set aside differences in the interest of harmony.
Similarly, the Manipur Naga Youth Organization has implored both villages to initiate dialogue and work toward peaceful solutions while calling on the government to take decisive action to prevent future violence.
Tragically, the clashes stemmed from the cleanliness drive organized by the Young Students Organization of Hungpung village in the Viewland area on October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
Report also said that Hungpung groups tried to assert control over households in neighboring Hamleikhong and Phungreitang through illegal tax collection and harassment.
In response, the Hunphun Village Authority issued a notification on October 1, insisting halt to the cleanliness campaign suspecting it had ulterior motives. A letter was submitted to the Deputy Commissioner’s Office in Ukhrul to prevent further escalation of tensions.
On October 2, despite these directives, members of the Young Students Organization of Hungpung Village arrived at Viewland armed with firearms, taking positions inside the Viewland Church campus.
When youths from Ukhrul and Hunphun, along with village officials, sought halt to the social work, the Hungpung group fired upon them. This led to injuries to many and death to two persons.
Meanwhile, 28 Catholic priests from Tangkhul and 16 from non-Tangkhul communities along with more than 90 Tangkhul nuns released a joint letter expressing grief over the loss of lives. They appealed for healing, emphasizing the importance of forgiveness and love.
“We share the pain and agony of the families and express condolences and prayerful support to the bereaved families and speedy recovery to the injured,” the statement read.
Asserting that all Christians are united as brothers and sisters in Christ, the religious leaders emphasized the importance of love and forgiveness.
The priests and nuns called upon people of goodwill from both sides to rise above emotions and act with maturity, fostering peace through love and forgiveness.
They further urged that, during this time of heightened emotions, peace and calm should prevail to allow a dignified path toward resolution.
“While assuring our prayers for peace and expressing our great concern for our society, we are your own sons and daughters, lovingly appealing to you to peacefully resolve the conflict, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen,” it added.
Ukhrul, also known as Hunphun, is home to the Tangkhul Nagas. Ukhrul town is some 80 km northeast of Imphal, the state capital.