Continuing clash, unrest : Dialogue the way forward
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: February 02, 2024 -

What is the way forward ?

Manipur obviously cannot continue to live like this and it is more than obvious that more ought to be done to start the process of normalcy.

It was with a reason why Lt General (Retd) Dr Konsam Himalay vociferously batted for the idea of a dialogue between the two warring communities.

How to start the process of talking things over is the duty of the Government and Imphal and Delhi should take note of this.

Other than the Government, it is also imperative for people on either side of the clash divide to sincerely look for ways to sit down and talk things over the table.

This is where the service of personalities like Dr Konsam Himalay can be utilised.

It was more than a month back that the former Army officer talked about the need for a dialogue during an interaction with The Sangai Express and fast forward to the first day of the second month of 2024 and there is nothing to suggest that anyone is making any effort to start the process of talking things over.

Far from coming anywhere near the understanding of sitting down and talking, Manipur continues to see deaths and more deaths regularly.

Take the recent standing call from the ‘Kuki volunteers’ not to sell anything to State police personnel at Moreh and things cannot get worse than this.

In less than 48 hours, Manipur would have completed nine months of the violence, with over 200 killed, thousands of folks forced to become refugees in their own land and having to live in relief centres, many more missing and Imphal and Delhi clueless about what should be done to defuse the situation.

This is the reason why The Sangai Express has repeatedly questioned the continued silence of the Prime Minister and to many the continued silence reflects a mindset of utter indifference.

The silence of the Prime Minister speaks so much about where Manipur stands in the overall scheme of Delhi and this cannot be good for anyone in the long run.

A nudge or a push from the Prime Minister can go a long way in setting the ball rolling for a dialogue, a need which has been more than made clear by Dr Konsam Himalay in his interaction with The Sangai Express on December 24, 2023.

Dialogue is the way forward.

There can be no other way. No one will emerge a winner from the ongoing clash.

This is a given and something which everyone on either side should acknowledge and see how to take things forward.

Delhi should initiate the process for a dialogue between the two communities at war.

Other States, such as Assam and Nagaland can perhaps step in and see how to bring the two sides to the negotiating table.

Given the reality and looking back at the past nearly nine months, it should also be clear that the lop sided stories championed in other parts of the country will only lead to further prolonging the crisis.

It is a humanitarian crisis, a real crisis that is being played out there, more so at the foothill areas.

Dialogue is the only way forward and as stated many times in this column, for dialogue to become a reality, all should stop selling fabricated tales, to suit their own agenda.

All should also realise the fact that the longer the crisis continues, more deaths and more missing persons will only lead to the loss of Manipur.

How long can Manipur continue to be in a state of war and conflict ?

Time to reflect on this and recall what the first Lt General from the amongst the Meiteis advocated not so long back.

The lethargy shown by the political leaders of Manipur too should be addressed for it is they who the public will ultimately hold responsible in the final analysis.

It should also not be overlooked that while the Nagas have been maintaining a neutral stand, the clash would have also impacted on their lives and this is something which all should acknowledge.