Manipur transgender rights activist and peace advocate Malem Thongam has reached West Bengal on a 3,000 km bicycle journey that began in Delhi, spreading a message of unity and healing in the aftermath of Manipur’s ethnic violence.
Thongam, a member of the Meitei community, set off from Qutub Minar on October 2 and has since cycled through Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Her route will take her across Assam and Nagaland before she returns to Manipur, a state scarred by conflict between the Meitei and Kuki communities since May 2023.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Thongam said her mission is rooted in humanity and the urgent need for reconciliation.
“Religion, caste, community or ethnicity should not divide us,” she said.
“This is not a stunt — it is a cry from the soul of a wounded land. My journey is a pilgrimage for healing and unity.”
The violence in Manipur has claimed more than 260 lives and displaced over 60,000 people.
Homes and villages have been destroyed, women have suffered brutal attacks, and many children and elderly people remain in relief camps.
Thongam said she began the peace campaign after months of protest in New Delhi and Imphal.
She staged a hunger strike in February 2024, demanding urgent intervention to end the violence, and later continued her fast in Manipur for more than 50 days.
Along the journey, she has received overwhelming support, including from medical staff and police in Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh, and peace volunteers in Patna.
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She also offered prayers at Patna’s Jama Masjid, calling for interfaith unity.
Urging governments and citizens alike to remain engaged with Manipur’s humanitarian crisis, she said:
“Let India and the world not look away. Let Manipur be seen. Let Manipur be healed — in strength, in truth and in hope.”
Thongam emphasised the need to restore free movement and normalcy across communities.
“We do not want conflict,” she said. “If grievances exist, they must be addressed by the government — not fought on the streets.”
She added that she has not faced threats from any group and continues to receive strong encouragement from transgender communities in India and abroad.
“We want all communities to stay together. That is the future we’re cycling toward,” she said.
