Manipur Crisis: Manipuri Celebrities Urge The National Media Not To Publish One-Sided Information
- 07th May 2023 -

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From Priyakanta Laishram to Soma Laishram and others, a few Manipuri celebrities expressed their grief and concern about the ongoing Kuki-Meitei violence in Manipur. Multiple sources said the warfare between communities had left several scores of people dead and nearly a hundred injured. However, the police were unwilling to confirm this.

Priyakanta Laishram: Priyakanta Laishram, who has never shied away from voicing his opinion in matters of importance, took to his Instagram handle to react to the ongoing crisis. He wrote, "I urge the leading media houses and the masses to please refrain from publishing/posting any information without verification. Manipur's situation hasn't turned over a new leaf yet. Everything has been extremely anxious and violent for the last few days. One-sided narratives and rumors just lead to the deterioration of the already hostile situation. Morphed pictures, falsified videos, and propaganda tweets can never be considered evidence of anything. Enough blood has been shed and countless innocent lives have been lost. Let's not provoke the situation furthermore with our mindless actions and half-baked stories. We all are responsible."

Soma Laishram: Leading Manipuri actress Soma Laishram wrote on Instagram, "I highly condemn the monstrous acts of violence happening across the state and would like to draw the attention of the government. The government had enough time to prohibit hateful speech and stop riots but with the way it is going, these events are going to take a communal turn. Influential people are acting irresponsibly by spreading false news and instigating violence. I urge the people in power to act responsibly and work towards prevailing justice. I pray for all those affected in these acts by a few miscreants and hope everything will be back to normal soon."

Licypriya Kangujam: Young climate activist Licypriya Kangujam also couldn’t keep herself from reacting to the Kuki-Meitei issue. She wrote on Facebook, "Let me clear one thing. The civil war-like situation in Manipur is not about Christian Kuki or Meitei Hindus. Meitei isn’t Hindu & only Kuki doesn’t represent Christianity. There are over 30 Christian Communities in Manipur. Stop this false narrative by sold-out Indian media."

Robert Naorem: Taking to his Instagram handle, renowned fashion designer Robert Naorem wrote, "In the end, it will suffer both ends, and the weakest section will suffer the most. Requesting the concerned authorities and the government to look into the matter and end this violence at the earliest. Praying for peace and normalcy."

Rohan Philem: Cyclist Rohan Philem, too, reacted to the situation. "Praying for peace and solutions. My prayer goes out to all the victims and their families. Not against any community but the people who are creating violence. Hope this ends soon." he wrote on Facebook.

Lukanand Kshetrimayum: In a Facebook post, model Lukanand Kshetrimayum wrote, "I fervently implore the Manipur government and those in positions of authority to exercise the kind of leadership that the people of our state know you are capable of and make contact with all parties concerned to put a stop to this tragic bloodshed. I am extremely hurt by the slanted news and accusations that are currently trending on Twitter and in major media sources. Due to the recent uptick in violence, there is a simmering conflict between the Kuki and Meitei communities, the news reporting ought to be accurate and unbiased."