Manipur's fragile truce between identity and discord
- Shirui Lily blooms amid ruins -

Dipak Kurmi *

Shirui Lily blooms amid ruins :: Pix - TSE/Dipak Kurmi

Manipur, a land of breathtaking landscapes and rich cultural heritage, remains ensnared in a web of ethnic strife and political inertia, even as it hosted the Shirui Lily Festival in 2025—a poignant symbol of resilience and hope. More than two years after ethnic violence erupted in May 2023 between the Meitei community of the Imphal Valley and the Kuki-Zo tribes of the surrounding hills, the State continues to grapple with deep-seated divisions that threaten its very identity.

The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), a prominent Meitei organization, has voiced the collective anguish of the people through protests and strikes, while the Kuki-Zo community remains steadfast in its demand for a Separate Administration.

Against this backdrop of unrest, the return of the Shirui Lily Festival in Ukhrul from May 20 to May 24, 2025, offers a glimmer of reconciliation, yet the path to normalcy remains fraught with challenges. As Manipur stands at a cross-roads, the question looms large : how can this fractured State move toward lasting peace ?

The ethnic conflict that erupted on May 3, 2023, following a Manipur High Court order directing the State Government to send the socio-economic and ethnographic report to the Centre for inclusion of the Meiteis in the Scheduled Tribe list has left deep scars. Over 260 lives have been lost, and more than 60,000 people displaced, with many still languishing in relief camps.

The violence has ethnically partitioned the State, rendering the National Highways—vital lifelines connecting Manipur to the rest of India—offlimits for the Meiteis. Similarly, the Kuki-Zo people find it unsafe to return to Imphal and other valley districts they once called home. Many individuals remain traceless, with little hope of recovering even their mortal remains, a grim testament to the scale of the tragedy.

On the second anniversary of the conflict, marked on May 3, 2025, both communities observed shutdowns—the Meitei-majority Imphal Valley led by COCOMI and the Kuki-Zo-dominated hills by groups like the Zomi Students' Federation and Kuki Students' Organisation. COCOMI's public convention at Khuman Lampak Stadium in Imphal demanded a time-bound roadmap for peace, while the Kuki-Zo community re-iterated its call for a Separate Administration, underscoring the deep mistrust that persists.

President's Rule, imposed in February 2025 following the resignation of Chief Minister N Biren Singh, has brought a semblance of calm by curbing direct confrontations between the warring communities. However, as an editorial notes, normalcy remains a distant dream. Despite over three months of Central governance, Raj Bhavan continues to struggle with restoring stability.

The Union Home Ministry has taken steps to facilitate dialogue, exemplified by a joint meeting between Meitei and Kuki-Zo civil society groups on April 5, 2025, in Delhi—the first such interaction since the conflict began. Reports suggest a second round of talks is scheduled for May 27, 2025, but skepticism abounds.

The Kuki-Zo community's insistence on consulting their people first has left many wondering whether these negotiations will yield tangible outcomes. The editorial questions whether Delhi has learned from the April meeting, reflecting the broader sentiment that the Central Government's approach lacks the urgency and insight needed to address Manipur's complex crisis.

Amidst this turmoil, the Shirui Lily Festival's return after a two-year hiatus offers a rare moment of unity. Held in the Tangkhul Naga-dominated Ukhrul district, a neutral territory unaffected by the Meitei-Kuki-Zo conflict, the festival celebrates the Shirui Lily (Lilium mackliniae), Manipur's iconic State flower.

This rare pinkish-white bloom, found exclusively in the Shirui Hill range at 2,673 meters above sea level, embodies both ecological and cultural significance. Known in Tangkhul lore as "Kashong Timrawon," tied to the mythic daughter of goddess Philava, the flower was documented by British botanist Frank Kingdon-Ward in 1946 and honored by the Royal Horticultural Society in 1948.

The festival, spanning May 20 to 24, 2025, features cultural performances, traditional games, cooking competitions like SheChef, rock concerts by ShiRock artists, and a Bike Peace Rally, culminating in a grand closing ceremony at Bakshi Ground with Suman Bills, Director General of the Ministry of Tourism, as the chief guest. Yet, the festival's success comes at a price.

The journey from Imphal to Ukhrul, a distance of about 80 kilometers, requires Meitei attendees to pass through Kuki-Zo settlements—Mongneljang, Gwaltabi among them—marking the first major inter-community movement in two years. This passage, heavily guarded by the Army, BSF, and Manipur Police, symbolizes both hope and tension.

The State Government has deployed significant security forces along National Highway 202, with road-opening parties ensuring safe transit. Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, who inaugurated the festival and chaired its organizing meetings, has emphasized its role in promoting unity.

However, the festival's preparations were marred by a controversial incident on May 20, 2025, at the Gwaltabi checkpoint, where security personnel allegedly forced journalists to conceal the words "Manipur State Transport" on their bus, sparking outrage among the Meitei community. The incident, perceived as an affront to Manipur's identity, prompted COCOMI to call a 48-hour general strike from May 21 midnight, paralyzing the Imphal Valley.

Businesses, schools, and Government offices shut down, and public transport ceased, with only medical emergencies and festival attendees exempted. COCOMI, led by convenor Khuraijam Athouba, condemned the act as "anti-Manipur," demanding a public apology from Governor Bhalla and the resignations of the Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh, Chief Secretary PK Singh, and Director General of Police Rajiv Singh for their perceived incompetence.

Protests erupted, with rallies in Imphal West and East districts attempting to march to Raj Bhavan, only to be halted by security forces. On May 25, 2025, COCOMI escalated its response, announcing a civil disobedience campaign and a public boycott of the Governor, accusing the President's Rule administration of disconnect and disdain for local sentiments.

The group has called for mass protests, torch processions, and sit-ins, while rejecting the Government's two-member inquiry committee—comprising Commissioner (Home) N Ashok Kumar and Secretary (IT) Th Kirankumar Singh—and demanding an independent probe led by a retired judge. The editorial in The Sangai Express reflects the deep hurt caused by the directive to remove the word "Manipur" from the bus, viewing it as a trampling of collective sentiments.

This incident, occurring amidst the festival meant to foster harmony, underscores the fragile state of affairs. The Meitei community's spontaneous support for COCOMI's strike highlights the depth of their frustration with an administration perceived as tone-deaf to local aspirations. The editorial urges Raj Bhavan to respect the sentiments of the people, emphasizing that Manipur is more than just a name—it is a symbol of identity and pride for its diverse communities.

The Shirui Lily itself mirrors Manipur's precarious state. Once abundant in the Shirui Hills, the flower faces extinction due to climate change, human encroachment, and invasive species like wild dwarf bamboo. A 2015 study by Dr. Manas Sahoo from the ICAR Research Complex in Manipur documented these threats, but a conservation effort involving the transplantation of 375 in vitro-generated plantlets offers hope.

The festival, initiated in 2017 as an eco-tourism event, intertwines cultural celebration with ecological awareness, drawing attention to the lily's plight while showcasing the Tangkhul Naga community's heritage. With a footfall of 2.19 lakh visitors in 2022, the festival has the potential to elevate Manipur's global tourism_ its profile, but t success hinges on the state's ability to ensure safety and foster trust.

Manipur's path forward requires more than symbolic gestures like the Shirui Lily Festival. The Union Home Ministry's efforts to bring the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities to the negotiating table are commendable, but the upcoming talks on May 27 must yield concrete outcomes. The Kuki-Zo demand for a separate administration, reiterated during the second anniversary events, clashes with the Meitei insistence on preserving territorial integrity, as voiced by COCOME at the Khuman Lampak contention.

Delhi's indifference, exemplified by Prime Minister Narendra Moth's lack of engagement—evident during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections—has further alienated the people. The editorial questions how the BJP will fare in the 2027 Assembly elections, reflecting the growing discontent with the Central Government's handling of the crisis.

Security measures, such as the deployment of CRPF at strategic locations and the fencing of the India-Myanmar border, as announced by Home Minister Amit Shah in September 2024, are steps in the right direction. Reports from early 2025 suggest that 15 out of 16 districts are now violence-free, with over 350 insurgents arrested since President's Rule began.

Yet, the inability of Meiteis and Kuki-Zo to move freely in each other's areas, coupled with the Gwaltabi incident, reveals the persistent under-currents of tension. Raj Bhavan must prioritize re-building trust by addressing local sentiments and ensuring that administrative decisions do not alienate communities further.

The Shirui Lily Festival, with its blend of cultural pride and ecological reverence, offers a blueprint for peacebuilding. By fostering inter-community interactions in a neutral space, it demonstrates the potential for coexistence.

However, lasting normalcy will require a multi-pronged approach: sustained dialogue between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, robust security measures that respect local identities, and a central government that actively engages with Manipur's plight. The lily's delicate petals, blooming against all odds, remind us that peace, like beauty, must be nurtured with care.

For Manipur, the journey toward harmony remains arduous, but the festival's return in 2025 whispers a fragile promise—that even in the shadow of conflict, the seeds of reconciliation can take root.