Manipur challenge: Sustained efforts needed to restore peace

THE Suspension of Operations agreement, signed by the Centre and two prominent Kuki-Zo groups on Thursday, is expected to spur efforts for restoring peace and normalcy in strife-torn Manipur. The development is also significant for another reason: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit the northeastern state next week — for the first time since ethnic violence broke out between Meiteis and Kukis in May 2023. The PM’s prolonged absence has been a rallying point for the Opposition, which has repeatedly accused him of leaving Manipur in the lurch.

The state has been at the receiving end of misgovernance by a double-engine government. The ruling BJP stubbornly persisted with N Biren Singh as chief minister despite his rank failure to stabilise the situation; what’s worse, he was accused of partisanship and incitement to violence. He finally resigned in February this year, and since then the state has been under President’s rule. The relative calm in recent months is largely attributed to the fact that many militants have returned some of the looted firearms to law enforcement agencies in response to appeals from the authorities.

The latest agreement is a welcome step, but there are some knotty issues yet to be resolved. Various stakeholders need to be taken on board. An influential civil society group, the Kuki-Zo Council, has clarified that it is not in favour of unrestricted or free movement across the buffer zones between Meitei and Kuki-Zo areas. The apex body of Manipur’s Nagas has threatened to enforce a ‘trade embargo’ in all areas inhabited by the community in the state in protest against the scrapping of the Free Movement Regime and fencing of the India-Myanmar border. The root cause of the ethnic conflict — the tussle over the majority Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status — must be addressed on priority to regain the trust of Kukis and Nagas. The Modi government has no time to lose — Manipuris have already waited too long for the healing touch.

Editorials