Imphal, Dec 12 : Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh on Thursday said that bringing a solution to the ongoing ethnic strife in the state would take time as the situation has become chronic and fragile.

Addressing the function, organised to commemorate the iconic Nupee Lal Numit (women's war day), the Chief Minister terming the ongoing ethnic hostilities as 'unprecedented' said that the state and Central governments had been putting all efforts to bring a permanent solution to the crisis.

'However, bringing a solution would take time as the situation had become chronic and fragile,' he observed.

Singh informed that the state government in coordination with central forces had been making every effort to rescue Laishram Kamalbabu Singh who went missing from the Leimakhong Army campus.

Speaking on the re-imposition of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) in Manipur's six police station areas, he informed that the state government had requested the Central government to review and withdraw the act from these police station areas.

The Chief Minister sought cooperation and support from the public in the government's effort to restore peace and tranquillity in the state.

Laishram Kamalbabu Singh, a resident of Gossaipur under Cachar district in southern Assam, who was staying at Loitang Khunou village in Imphal West district, left his residence on November 25 for the Leimakhong military station, where he was working as a supervisor for a contractor working with the Military Engineering Services (MES), but went missing.

Various Meitei community organisations alleged that Singh was kidnapped by Kuki militants.

According to defence sources, at least 2,000 personnel of the Army and Assam Rifles continued their hectic search operation to locate the 56-year-old Meitei man Laishram Kamalbabu Singh, who has been missing for the past 18 days.

The Army as part of their search operation deployed tracker dogs, drones and other devices.

Joint Action Committee (JAC) and the Meira Paibis (women vigilantes in Manipur), who have been agitating demanding the rescue of the missing person, have also sought the intervention of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to locate Kamalbabu Singh.

The Meira Paibis ((women vigilantes in Manipur) and the JAC continued their agitations separately in protest against the abduction of Kamalbabu Singh.

Meanwhile, various organisations have been agitating demanding the repeal of the AFSPA.

On December 10, thousands of men and women, including students, organised a massive rally in Imphal demanding the repeal of the AFSPA, and action against terrorists who brutally killed three women and three children in Jiribam.

The rally, jointly organised by five influential organisations, including the All Manipur United Clubs Organisation (AMUCO), Poirei Leimarol Apunba Meira Paibi, and All Manipur Women's Voluntary Association (AMAWOVA), began at Thau ground in Imphal West district and covered around 5 km before culminating at Khuman Lampak stadium, where a public meeting was held.

Holding placards and shouting slogans such as 'Do not obliterate Manipur' and 'Save Manipur', the protesters strongly demanded the repeal of the AFSPA at the earliest.

/IANS