AA Edit | Peace Hopes In Manipur as Kuki-Zo, Centre Reach Deal

The merest signs of peace have been spotted in the Centre coaxing two Kuki-Zo insurgent groups — Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People’s Front (UPF) — to sign a tripartite agreement with the Manipur government and the Centre. The impending visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the area, beginning with Mizoram, and his plans to hold a couple of public meetings in the strife-torn state of Manipur might have pushed New Delhi and Imphal into belated action to bring people roiled by ethnic violence to clear the path to peace.

If the PM’s first visit to Manipur since violence broke out in May 2023 is to bear fruit, he may have to admit that he appeared to look at it as a local problem that would sort itself out with time. His presence, after too long a hiatus for the leader of the nation, will be more than symbolic to a people who have been involved in senseless violence even if there were triggers like discriminatory treatment that saw the bigger group of people in Meiteis being favoured over the Kuki-Zo tribals.

What has been promised to make the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the Kuki-Zo possible must have been significant because they have agreed to open the national highway for free movement of people, especially the Meiteis, and goods thus breaking a virtual partition of the state with buffer zones run by the security agencies to bring down the extensive killings that saw the rest of India weary of ever being able to see peace reigning again in Manipur.

The response to the pact has not been universally popular in the state with the Meiteis said to be sceptical. Pacts had been signed before, the first as early as 2008 and which was renewed annually. But then they are the majority group living in the valley of the capital and who were even promised SC-ST quotas in a court ruling that was one of the first triggers of an ugly conflict that saw a series of inhuman events in Manipur as the groups clashed much like in a war of guns and arson.

Going forward, the Centre would have to admit that enormous political and security mistakes were committed, especially in relying on a divisive chief minister in N. Biren Singh who thought nothing of being seen as biased in favour of the Meiteis in everything he did and who annulled the pact that had run for 15 years. By the time his resignation came about in February and Central rule was brought in, matters had worsened long after weapons from the armoury had been freely captured by the militants.

A negotiated solution to bring lasting stability to Manipur is one of the stated intentions of the new pact. The Centre must approach negotiations with a fresh outlook that allows none of the shenanigans of the partisan administration that had ruined the scene and led to large scale displacement of the people. In return, the insurgents must also stick to the pact, abjure violence, return government arms and enable peace to return, so normal life becomes possible for all.

For too long the Manipur situation festered despite the Union home ministry’s efforts, but then it has not been long since the ruling BJP abandoned Biren Singh in the hunt for a more acceptable face. The state and its people are in no condition to allow hostilities to resume and ruin the life for all communities. They must seize this opportunity to enjoy normalcy.