Imphal : Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Friday appealed to people from different communities to “forgive and forget” the violence of the past and work together to rebuild trust and restore peace in the state.

Addressing a public interaction programme at Christian Center Church in Leimakhong, Kangpokpi district, Khemchand acknowledged the pain and suffering caused by the prolonged crisis among both the Meitei and Kuki communities.

The chief minister said he had interacted with internally displaced persons (IDPs) from both communities and found that they shared a common aspiration – to return to their respective homes. “Considering the future of the younger generation, let us all collectively shun violence and work towards creating a peaceful environment for our youths,” Khemchand said, calling for greater understanding and peaceful coexistence.

His remarks came during a visit to Kangpokpi as the state continues efforts to address the humanitarian and infrastructure impact of the violence that began in May 2023. Earlier in the day, Khemchand visited L Champhai village to inspect a water supply project and review repair work on a major pipeline supplying drinking water to Thangmeiband in Imphal.

The pipeline was damaged during the violence in May 2023. Officials of the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) informed the chief minister that the repair work was expected to be completed within a month, following which potable water supply would be restored to the affected areas.

MLAs Haokholet Kipgen, Heikham Dingo Singh and Kh Joykisan Singh assured support for the project, including assistance in ensuring security for officials involved in the repair work. Khemchand also urged village leaders to extend cooperation to PHED personnel so that the restoration work could be completed without disruption.

During his interaction with residents at Leimakhong, the chief minister announced that the government would consider upgrading the existing Primary Health Centre into a Community Health Centre. He said the upgradation process could take some time and, as an interim measure, specialist and super-specialist doctors from the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) would be arranged to visit Leimakhong and provide medical services to residents.

Kipgen described Leimakhong as a “Mini Manipur”, pointing out that people from Meitei, Kuki, Naga, Nepali and Bihari communities live in the area. He expressed hope that Leimakhong would regain the social harmony it experienced before the outbreak of violence.

Dingo Singh said the chief minister’s initiatives could help reduce differences between communities and called for collective participation in efforts to restore peace and accelerate development. Joykisan Singh stressed the importance of strengthening a common Manipuri identity while avoiding excessive emphasis on separate community identities.

Later, Khemchand visited Kanto Sabal village in Imphal West, where he interacted with members of the Women Welfare Organisation at the Village Development Committee Hall. He heard their grievances and concerns and assured them that the government would examine their demands and extend assistance wherever possible.

The chief minister’s outreach comes as Manipur continues to grapple with the consequences of prolonged displacement, damaged infrastructure and deep social divisions. Rebuilding trust between communities, alongside the restoration of basic services and rehabilitation of affected families, remains central to the state’s broader peace and recovery efforts.