At least for the weekend, Meiteis and Kukis were able to escape reality at home thanks to the game “Only for Love of Football”

They disagree, and when necessary, they will fire firearms at one another. The same young people joined a football competition in Delhi, 2,450 kilometers from their Manipur villages, where they experienced friendship, respect, and a passion for sports. Far from their violent homeland, which they refer to as the “mainland” of India, the young Meiteis and Kukis worked together to make a friendly football match in the nation’s capital a success.

The young people took part in a football competition that was put up by UNIKAS (United Kakching Students), a Meitei-led student organization. The football team captained by Kuki won the competition.

Kukis enrolled for the two-day football competition held by UNIKAS in Delhi despite the fear brought on by the five-month-long ethnic strife and frequent reports about violence, arson, and skirmishes in and near their different hometowns in Manipur.

News 18 met with the student leaders who, motivated by their “love for football,” persuaded their local groups and friends to take part. The “mainland” that the students refer to as being “safe” is Delhi. On October 14–15, the competition was held in Delhi’s Burari stadium.

For the competition, sixteen teams registered with UNIKAS. Members of UNIKAS are students from the Meitei-dominated town of Kakching in Manipur. Additionally, Kakching is close to Moreh, where ethnic violence has been occurring for the last five months. Two teams represented the Kuki community out of the 16 teams, 11 teams were Meitei, two teams were from Delhi and Haryana, and one team came from Nagaland.

The youngsters in the northeast are recognized for their love of music and athletics. Famous sports figures like Mary Kom, Mira Bai Chanu, Taba Chake, and many more were produced in the area.

THEIR UNCONSCIOUS CAMARADERIE

Despite the fact that the teenagers from the two villages said they were “no longer friends,” their shared passion for football has brought them together. The secretary of UNIKAS, Bonit Naorem, told News18 that “we solely considered sports and nothing else. In our home states, we have done similar things in the past. But there, dread and worry are gripping everyone. However, this is the continent; we are in Delhi. Here, we feel safer.

“We suggested that the local students join us, as well as all Manipuri students. As a result, two Kuki teams have registered with us, and Naorem said, “We are glad that our Kuki friends won the cup.

Despite their satisfaction with the progress made between the two communities, Kuki students claim that their concern has not subsided. “We used to get along well. But for now, we are not quite there. We keep our distance from one another. The recollections of what happened at home persist. However, Albert Haokip, the captain of the Kuki squad that prevailed in the game, remarked, “We all joined together because of our passion for sports, especially football.