When Ngamgouhou Mate, the captain of India’s Under-16 football team, returned to his home state of Manipur after winning the SAFF Championship in Thimphu, Bhutan, his parents anxiously awaited him at a relief camp in Kangpokpi district. The young football star found himself living in the cramped conditions of a makeshift relief camp, alongside numerous other victims of Manipur’s three-month-long ethnic conflict. Ngamgouhou’s family had been displaced when their home in Khongsai Veng, on the outskirts of the state capital Imphal, was set ablaze by an armed group of miscreants.
The ongoing clash between two ethnic groups, the Kukis and the Meiteis, had resulted in widespread violence, casualties, and displacement throughout Manipur in recent months. Ngamgouhou, a 15-year-old midfielder, belongs to the Kuki community and embodies the spirit of young Manipuris deeply passionate about the beautiful game.
During the initial days of the unrest, Ngamgouhou’s house fell victim to arson, compelling his parents to flee in fear and seek refuge in a relief camp in Kangpokpi, a region predominantly inhabited by Kukis. For the past four months, they have called this camp their home.
Interestingly, of the 23-member triumphant Indian squad, 16 were from Manipur. Among them, there were 11 Meiteis, 4 Kukis, and one Meitei Pangal (Manipuri Muslim). Remarkably, the violence back home did not deter their unity and determination to make the nation proud.
Ngamgouhou, despite the ethnic tensions, expressed profound gratitude to Renedy Singh, a former Indian senior team captain from the Meitei community, for his success. “He has unwavering faith in our abilities and has consistently been a source of strength,” remarked Ngamgouhou, a product of the Imphal-based Classic Football Academy.
Due to safety concerns, the return of Kuki players in the Indian squad to Manipur was kept confidential by authorities. Ngamgouhou and another Kuki player, Vumlenlal Hangshing, were transported from Imphal to Kangpokpi in a special vehicle. Meanwhile, midfielder Levis Jangminlun Haokip, who scored the second goal in India’s 2-0 win over Bangladesh in the final, was taken to the strife-torn Churachandpur in the southwest part of Manipur.
“I believe peace and normalcy will return to Manipur. I’m saddened by the fact that I no longer have a home to live in. Nevertheless, I remain focused on improving my game and will continue to strive to bring honor to my country,” affirmed Ngamgouhou.
Ngamgouhou hails from the Pallel area of Manipur’s Tengnoupal district, situated along the India-Myanmar border, where two individuals lost their lives in separate shooting incidents just last week.
A few years ago, Ngamgouhou’s family, consisting of eight members, relocated to Imphal in pursuit of better football opportunities.
Since ethnic violence erupted in Manipur on May 3, following a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ in protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status in the hill districts, over 200 people have lost their lives.
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