Malem Thongam reaches Sekmai amidst tight security passing through Kangpokpi

Transgender social activist and cyclist Malem Thongam, who is on a long-distance peace mission, arrived at Sekmai Police Station in Imphal West earlier today in the company of heavy security provisions after passing through the Kangpokpi district along National Highway 2, in spite of objections put forward by the Committee on Tribal Unity.
According to the police, Malem Thongam had arrived at the Sekmai Police Station around 4:30 am after commencing her journey from the district of Senapati through a special convoy of the Border Security Force. After completing the necessary legal formalities together with five other supporters, Malem Thongam had left for home.
The cautious move came as a result of increased tension among Kuki Civil Societies, who opposed Thongam’s proposed route passing through Kangpokpi district as a part of peace campaigns entitled “Cycling For Manipur Peace.” The peace campaigns strive to realize peace and communal harmony in the violence-torn State.
Malem Thongam started her cycle journey from Qutub Minar in New Delhi on October 2 and has so far traversed over 2,300 kilometers in various States. The social activist has entered Manipur this week and on December 17, he reached Senapati District, which has a larger population of the Naga community. The plan was to move into Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi on December 19 before finishing the journey in Imphal.
However, a Committee on Tribal Unity from a Kuki-Zo Civil Society in Kangpokpi disapproved of the route. The Committee in their statement asserted that the cycle programme might trigger any sort of tensions between the people in the guise of building peace between them. They also demanded that the proposed crossing point at Kangpokpi be abandoned since any adverse incident occurring in the course of crossing would be solely in the hands of the concerned authorities, not the Kuki-Zo community.
In the wake of the objections, the security along National Highway 2 in the Kangpokpi district of Manipur was beefed up. It was clarified by the authorities that sufficient arrangements were made to ensure law and order and a safe passage of the activist during the wee hours.