Mizoram senior citizen to walk to Imphal to promote peace

A 65-year-old man from Mizoram has embarked on a 450 km walk from here to Imphal to promote peace and harmony in violence-hit Manipur.

Lalbiakthanga, a resident of Lawipu on the south-western outskirt of Aizawl, set out on foot for Manipur's capital Imphal on Wednesday.

He was flagged off by Mizoram Journalists' Association (MJA) president C. Lalrambuatshaiha in Aizawl.

A known pacifist, who has a record of travelling on similar walkathon missions to spread awareness on the importance of peace and humane values, Lalbiakthanga said he was deeply shocked by the ethnic violence that rocked the neighbouring state in the past few days.

"I feel very saddened by the recent violence and continued tension in Manipur. So, I decided to embark on a walk to spread the message of peace and communal harmony," Lalbiakthanga, a former government employee, told PTI.

Violent clashes broke out in Manipur after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the 10 hill districts on May 3 to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

The clashes were preceded by tension over eviction of Kuki villagers from reserve forest land, which had led to a series of smaller agitations earlier this year.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals -- Nagas and Kukis -- constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.

Lalbiakthanga will have to cover around 450 kilometres in over two weeks to reach Imphal via Churachandpur, one of the worst affected districts in the recent rioting.

He said that he will sleep by the roadside whenever he is unable to reach human settlements for night stops during his journey.

"I will first have a night halt at Tuikhurhlu village in Aizawl district about 20 km from here. Thence I will proceed to Saitual district and Manipur. I will have to take night breaks on the roadside sometimes, " he said.

Lalbiakthanga said that he will first arrive at Churachandpur town and then proceed to Imphal.

Last year he had covered 1,212 kms in 40 days visiting at least 118 villages across all the 11 districts of Mizoram on a walkathon mission to spread awareness of 75 years of India's independence.

In 1997, he had set out on a mission and travelled to at least 50 rural villages and spread awareness on environmental and wildlife protection among students.

He has also walked more than 200 km from Aizawl to Zokhawthar village on the Indo-Myanmar border to extend solidarity to the people of Myanmar and to spread the message of peace to people in the coup-hit neighbouring country in March 2021.