Public yearning for peace, not street protest
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: March 12, 2025 -

IN case vehicles stranded in Senapati district could be safely escorted back to the state's capital, then the government authorities would definitely ring out a clear message that all possible measures would be initiated to enforce directive of the union home ministry for free movement of goods and passengers along the national highways.

Regardless of the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) declaring that the indefinite shutdown in Kuki-Zo areas would continue after consensus eluded their talks held with officials of the Kangpokpi district administration, security authorities need to take all possible measures to bring the stranded vehicles, numbering over 300, through the restive Kangpokpi district so as to demonstrate that with stringent security measures and genuine efforts all attempts to sabotage the centre's plan for restoring normalcy in the state would be nullified.

While it is obvious that the shutdown sponsors and their supporters would feel wretched on seeing the vehicles pass through the so-called restricted zones and probably plan their next move, including intense propaganda blitzkrieg, to effectively cut off supply of essential commodities to the state's capital and justify their stand, the central government seems should be equally prepared and determined not to succumb to any pressure tactics.

Notably, propaganda machinery has already been put into motion as is evident from Kuki women and civil organisations inferring that security forces inflicted injuries on women agitators on the same day (March 8) the International Women's Day was being celebrated, without ever mentioning, even cursorily, that the security forces acted only after the male agitators torched vehicles, pelted stones at security personnel, and opened fire at armoured vehicles.

Had the protestors resorted to peaceful symbolic agitation, like they had been carrying out for nearly two years since outbreak of the conflict, then the security forces escorting passenger carriers and goods trucks too would have exercised maximum restraint.

Similar is the case in the Imphal valley where security forces, state police personnel in particular, launched brutal crackdowns when the protestors acted aggressively, tried to breach security barricades and some unruly elements from among the agitators used slingshots and pelted stones at the security personnel.

It is worth mentioning that the valley districts had been witnessing sit-in protests in pursuance Of varied demands with all such movement concluding without any untoward incidents, contrary to maximum number of torch rallies taken out in the evening resulting in violent clashes.

In short, security authorities do not seem to mind if protest rallies and sit-ins are carried out in a democratic manner but shall act as per the law of the land as and when there is threat to peace.

As such, taking into account that Manipur currently has the presence of over 60,000 additional personnel of central armed police force in addition to thousands of the state's own security personnel, stabilising the situation with strict adherence to prescribed norms and ensuring safe passage of goods and passengers in Manipur sector of the two national highways wouldn't be an onerous task.

Moreover, government authorities must be well aware by now that the protest-weary public of the strife-torn state are yearning for return of normalcy in the real sense rather than joining street protests.