Correspondent
IMPHAL, May 14: Manipur chief minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Thursday reiterated that dialogue was the only means to ease the existing trust deficit among different communities living in the state.
“The trust deficit that existed between the communities shall be bridged through talks,” Singh said, citing an example of the Jiribam district where he claimed all the communities are living in harmony now.
The chief minister reiterated his remark during a visit at Kangchup Chingkhong, a foothill village in Imphal West district adjoining Kangpokpi district where he interacted with the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) there.
The visit was a part of his continuing effort to foster peace and build trust among communities, the chief minister’s secretariat said in a release after the visit.
During the interaction, the chief minister asked the IDPs for their safe return to their respective homes and assured them that adequate security will be provided.
He further assured the IDPs that a pucca house to shelter security personnel will be constructed in the area soon.
He also visited the injured Tangkhul Naga villagers who are under medical treatment at the RIMS hospital, Imphal.
The villagers were injured in a recent attack by armed miscreants at Sinakeithei under Litan police station in Ukhrul district.
Later in the evening, the chief minister visited Shija hospital, Imphal and interacted with two Chiru (Naga) tribals injured in Wednesday’s attack by armed miscreants near Joujangtek in Noney district. He assured that the government will bear all the medical expenses of the injured.
He further informed that the government will look into the grievances raised by IDPs to increase the monetary assistance for the construction of houses which were destroyed during the violence.
While interacting with the IDPs, the chief minister also informed that Rs 1.2 crore have been sanctioned for strengthening the inter village road (IVR) and Rs 1.94 crore for construction of water supply scheme.
He further informed that a market shed will be constructed at a suitable location in the village.
A young IDP told the crowd during the interaction programme that he was touched by a recent comment of the chief minister that even WWII, despite the use of the Atom Bomb, ended on the negotiating table.
“This word touched my heart and I stopped thinking on communal lines. I feel that we all should think of a new beginning by bringing peace;” said the young IDP.
He added that everyone in Kangchup village was surprised by the chief minister’s visit as they never expected a visit. The villagers, who bore the brunt of ethnic violence said that it was the first time that the state’ chief minister visited Kangchup Chingkhong village.
Earlier, at Imphal College, the chief minister distributed Rs 10,000 each to the 754 IDP students through DBT to their respective bank accounts.
There Singh said, “In short, those who are unable to return to their own homes and birth place are in the most miserable stage of humanity”.
He said that his government was trying to rehabilitate all the IDPs before assuring that job opportunities would be considered for IDP students on completion of training on skill development.
He further said that the student community was the most affected during the conflict and urged the teachers and students to work together and take the responsibility in the government’s endeavour to cement the trust deficit among different communities inhabiting the state.
Later, the chief minister also inaugurated a public reception block and VIP waiting room at the office of the Imphal West deputy commissioner.