Manipur CM Singh calls for collective peace effort, warns of conflict profiteers
Synopsis
Manipur's Chief Minister is cautiously optimistic — communities in Jiribam are sharing meals and returning home — but a bomb blast in Tronglaobi that killed two children has set the mood back sharply. Singh's bluntest message: a small group is deliberately keeping the conflict alive because it pays them to do so.
Key Takeaways
Manipur CM Yumnam Khemchand Singh on 17 June called for collective societal effort to achieve lasting peace in the state.
He warned that a section of people actively opposes peace because they derive benefits from ongoing conflict and instability.
Singh cited positive signs in Jiribam , where Kuki, Paite, Hmar and Meitei communities have resumed living together and sharing meals.
A bomb blast at Tronglaobi killed two children and seriously injured their mother, dealing a setback to reconciliation efforts.
The CM also felicitated meritorious Class 10 and 12 students from the Manipur Board and CBSE at the CNMDC Foundation Day event in Imphal .
Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Wednesday, 17 June said that restoring lasting peace in the conflict-affected state demands the active participation of every section of society, warning that a small but identifiable group continues to obstruct reconciliation because it profits from ongoing instability. He made the remarks at the eighth Foundation Day celebration of the Chingamakha Nambul Mapal Development Committee (CNMDC) at Chingamakha Yanglem Leikai Nambul Mapal in Imphal.
Ground-Level Signs of Reconciliation
Chief Minister Singh cited encouraging developments from his recent field visits to Jiribam, Kangpokpi, Senapati, and Ukhrul districts. He noted that members of the Kuki, Paite, Hmar, and Meitei communities in Jiribam have resumed living together, sharing meals, and gradually returning to their homes — signs he described as reflecting a growing desire for coexistence. Singh said he personally shared lunch with community members during the visit, calling it a positive indicator of improving inter-community relations.
Bomb Blast at Tronglaobi Clouds Progress
Against this cautiously optimistic backdrop, the Chief Minister expressed deep concern over a recent bomb blast at Tronglaobi, which claimed the lives of two children and left their mother seriously injured. Singh said the tragedy had visibly set back the prevailing atmosphere of reconciliation and caused conditions to deteriorate once again. He reiterated that acts of violence directly undermine every effort aimed at restoring normalcy and urged all stakeholders to remain committed to the peace process.
Warning Against Vested Interests
Singh stressed the need to identify and publicly expose those who benefit from the conflict. He argued that a section of people actively opposes peace because instability serves their interests — political, financial, or otherwise. The Chief Minister urged citizens to work collectively to isolate such elements and push forward the process of reconciliation. This comes amid Manipur's prolonged ethnic strife, which has displaced thousands and claimed numerous lives since violence first erupted in May 2023.
Student Felicitation and Civic Appeal
At the same event, Chief Minister Singh distributed cash prizes and certificates to meritorious students of Classes 10 and 12 from both the Manipur Board of Secondary Education and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), encouraging them to contribute to the state's development. He also urged residents of the locality to maintain cleanliness along internal roads through collective civic responsibility, calling it essential to building a healthy and progressive community.
The event was attended by Sanasam Shantikumar Singh, President of the CNMDC; Thokchom Eliza Devi, Caretaker Councillor; and several other dignitaries. With field visits continuing and community dialogue reportedly expanding, the state government's next steps in the reconciliation process will be closely watched.
Point of View
Not just aggrieved communities, and that political will alone cannot resolve it. The Jiribam anecdote is encouraging but selective; the broader displacement of tens of thousands since May 2023 remains unaddressed in any structural sense. The Tronglaobi blast is a reminder that ground-level reconciliation is fragile and easily reversed by a single act of violence. What is missing from the Chief Minister's public messaging is a concrete mechanism to identify and act against the 'vested interests' he names — without that, the warning risks becoming rhetorical.
NationPress
2 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Manipur CM Yumnam Khemchand Singh say about peace in the state?
Chief Minister Singh said lasting peace in Manipur requires the active cooperation of all sections of society, not just government action. He warned that a small group deliberately opposes peace because it profits from the ongoing conflict and instability.
What positive developments did CM Singh highlight from his field visits?
Singh reported that in Jiribam, members of the Kuki, Paite, Hmar, and Meitei communities have resumed living together, sharing meals, and returning to their homes. He also visited Kangpokpi, Senapati, and Ukhrul, where he observed signs of renewed inter-community interaction.
What happened in the Tronglaobi bomb blast?
A bomb blast at Tronglaobi claimed the lives of two children and left their mother seriously injured, according to the Chief Minister's statement. Singh said the incident had adversely affected the atmosphere of reconciliation and caused the situation to deteriorate.
Who are the 'vested interests' CM Singh referred to?
Singh did not name specific individuals or groups, but said a small section of people continues to oppose peace because they derive benefits — political or otherwise — from the ongoing conflict. He urged citizens to collectively identify and expose such elements.
What else happened at the CNMDC Foundation Day event in Imphal?
Chief Minister Singh distributed cash prizes and certificates to meritorious Class 10 and 12 students from the Manipur Board of Secondary Education and CBSE. He also urged residents of Chingamakha Yanglem Leikai Nambul Mapal to maintain cleanliness through community participation.
