Manipur transgender activist’s 3,000-km ride pushes call for lasting peace in state

A cross-country cycling campaign led by Manipur transgender activist Malem Thongam has entered West Bengal, marking a significant milestone in her 3,000-km journey to spotlight the ongoing humanitarian fallout from Manipur’s ethnic conflict.

Thongam set off from Delhi on October 2 and has ridden through Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, receiving steady public support along the way. Her route will next take her to Assam, Nagaland and finally Manipur, where ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities has left more than 260 people dead since May 2023.

She described her mission as a direct appeal for national attention. “Humanity should prevail over differences of religion, caste, community and ethnicity,” she said. “I stand before you as a Manipur transgender activist, a survivor and a seeker of peace.”

The activist said her ride is “not a stunt” but “a cry from the soul of a wounded land”, stressing that the state continues to grapple with mass displacement. According to her account, more than 60,000 residents remain without homes, with villages destroyed and vulnerable groups — including women, children and persons with disabilities — still confined to relief camps.

Thongam has been vocal about the need for restored mobility across Manipur’s roads and highways. “We want free movement across highways and inter-state roads to continue unhindered, as in the past,” she said, arguing that community-based blockades have deepened mistrust. “We don’t want communities to fight. If there are demands, they must be addressed to the government.”

Her activism predates the cycling campaign. She undertook a hunger strike in New Delhi on 22 February 2024, seeking central intervention, and later fasted for more than 50 days at Imphal’s Kangla West Gate to press for peace. She said the response from people along her route in recent weeks — from medical staff in Sitapur to residents in Patna holding placards — has strengthened her resolve.

Thongam also offered prayers at Patna’s Jama Masjid, calling for “interfaith harmony and healing”, and urged the wider world “not to look away. Let Manipur be seen. Let Manipur be healed — in strength, in truth and in hope.”

Asked about support from the transgender community, she said backing has come from “every citizen”, including trans Indians living abroad who have pledged solidarity.

Thongam says she will continue riding until she reaches Manipur, determined to keep the spotlight on a crisis she believes the country must confront with urgency.