Imphal, April 27: As a part of the UNIDEP (Unity, Development and Peace) Campaign, a road located at Khamenlok in Sadar Hills of Senapati district has been repaired by the Campaign Committee.

The repairing work of the dilapidated inter-village road from Nongsum village in Imphal East district to Khamenlok started on March 31.With the completion of the repairing work, a public meeting was held at Khamenlok today.

The UNIDEP Campaign Committee is constituted by AMUCO, AMESCO, AMAWOVA, MEPWAK, Poirei Leimarol Meira Paibi Apunba Manipur and other social organisations.

The campaign was launched on November 18, 2006 and has covered several places of all the nine districts.

Addressing the public meeting at Khamenlok, AMUCO secretary general NC Khuman said that the repairing work of the IVR road was deliberately taken up to demonstrate the State Government negligence of Khamenlok and eight other surrounding villages.

He clarified that the UNIDEP Campaign committee is not taking extra interest in such development works nor the Committee has any fund to take up such development work.

The road was repaired with the assistance of the villagers with the intention to point out to the Government its failure, said NC Khuman.

Khamenlok village chief Thangjangam Guite said that though the village knew no deficiency some time back, it is now facing shortage of drinking water.

Moreover, the village road was also out of service before UNIDEP Committee repaired it, he stated while conveying gratitude to the Committee.

UNIDEP Campaign committee convenor and AMUCO president Yangsosong Koireng iterated that the campaign is aimed at collective development of all the 36 ethnic groups of the State and to bring unity and peace among these groups.

Observing that several external forces are still threatening the unity of Manipur, the campaign convenor stated that UNIDEP never supports the cause of any single ethnic group while sidelining other groups.

As the unity of the land is being threatened, it would take some time to restore unity in its true sense , he observed.

Yet, UNIDEP Committee would not rush blindly for unity if it would affect or contradict interests of the 36 ethnic groups, he assured.

Nevertheless, it would stand firm against all external divisive forces, Yangsosong pledged.

Stating that development without unity would serve no purpose, Yangsosong observed that development is meant for the few elites.

While these handful of people would live in luxury and splendour, the Government would remain blind and deaf to the plight of the people as was seen in the case of Khamenlok villagers vis-a-vis its deplorable road and other woes, said Yangsosong.

Once there is unity and development, peace would follow automatically.

But all these words of unity, peace and development would remain alien words to all poor families.

Neither the Governments, Central or State can bring peace easily at any time nor ceasefire between confronting parties mean peace, the UNIDEP convenor asserted.

Today's public meeting was also attended by president of the Poirei Leimarol Meira Paibi Apunba Manipur L Memchoubi, KSO Saikul unit president Ason Thouthang and chiefs of surrounding villages of Khamenlok.

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