A cross-country cycling initiative led by Manipur-based transgender activist Malem Thongam has entered West Bengal, marking a key milestone in her 3,000-kilometre journey designed to draw national attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis stemming from Manipur’s ethnic conflict.
Thongam began her ride from Delhi on 2 October and has already travelled through Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Along the way, she has received steady public support from individuals, civil society groups and concerned citizens. Her route will continue through Assam and Nagaland before concluding in Manipur, where clashes between Meitei and Kuki communities have claimed more than 260 lives since May 2023.
Calling the campaign a plea for compassion rather than a symbolic gesture, Thongam described her effort as a message of unity. She said humanity must rise above barriers of religion, caste and ethnicity, stating, “I stand before you as a Manipur transgender activist, a survivor and a seeker of peace.”
Thongam emphasised that her journey is aimed at keeping the crisis visible, asserting that the state continues to reel under displacement and fractured social relations. She said more than 60,000 people remain without homes, with several villages destroyed and vulnerable groups including women, children and persons with disabilities still living in relief camps.
One of her core demands is restoring unrestricted travel across Manipur’s highways and inter-state roads, arguing that prolonged blockades have intensified mistrust and hardship. “We don’t want communities to fight. If there are demands, they must be addressed to the government,” she said.
Thongam has been consistently involved in peace advocacy prior to this campaign. Earlier this year, she staged a hunger strike in New Delhi on 22 February and later fasted for more than 50 days at Imphal’s Kangla West Gate to call for resolution and intervention. She said messages of support from the public, medical professionals, and community members along her current route have reinforced her determination.
During her journey, she also visited Patna’s Jama Masjid, where she prayed for healing and interfaith unity. She appealed to the nation and international community not to overlook the unrest, urging, “Let Manipur be seen. Let Manipur be healed — in strength, in truth and in hope.”
Thongam stated that support for her mission has come from across the country, including members of the transgender community and Indian diaspora groups. She reaffirmed that she will continue cycling until she reaches Manipur, maintaining that the crisis demands urgency and collective moral response.
