Imphal: Manipur chief minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Friday called for identifying and dealing with elements attempting to disrupt peace efforts in the state, while stressing the need to bridge the trust deficit between communities affected by the violence.“Whether Kuki, Meitei or Naga, they have the same pain in their hearts,” he said, calling for a collective effort to restore peace and rebuild trust in Manipur.The CM was speaking at a lecture programme organised by the Assam Rifles on “Manipur Situation: Prevailing Trust Deficit and the Path Towards Trust Building” at the Manipur State Film Development Society (MSFDS) Auditorium at Palace Compound in Imphal. The lecture was delivered by Sudeep Chakravarti.Recalling the situation in Manipur before May 3, 2023, Khemchand said he had regularly travelled to the hill areas and witnessed an atmosphere of peace, harmony and cooperation among different communities. However, he said the violence had fundamentally changed the situation in the state.Khemchand said that after the formation of his govt, he visited Jiribam, where he met members of the Kuki, Hmar and Meitei communities. He said such interactions were important for understanding the concerns of different communities and rebuilding confidence. He also said he had interacted with internally displaced people (IDPs) from different communities and that people across communities ultimately wanted peace.However, he said there are still elements who want to disrupt peace. “We have to identify them and deal with them according to law because the common people want peace,” he said. He said rebuilding trust would require sustained interaction, dialogue and cooperation between communities.Speaking on the occasion, Assam Rifles director general Vikas Lakhera said the security forces alone cannot enforce physical order and suppress violence. “Security forces can facilitate the process of peace and reconciliation, but true peace is built in the hearts and minds of the people, and nurtured through functioning institutions, sustainable governance, social justice, mutual empathy and restoration of trust across all divides,” he said.Lakhera said peace could not be maintained by force alone. “It can only be achieved by understanding,” he said, appealing to youths, students, scholars and professionals to not let the past three years of unrest define the next 30 years of Manipur.
