An indication to road ahead
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: November 13, 2023 -

IN a move that is appreciable, the Peace Committee of United Naga Council (UNC) has proposed declaration of ceasefire unilaterally either by the Meetei/ Meitei community or the Kuki-Chin community to halt the unprecedented ethnic violence that has wreaked havoc in the tiny northeastern Indian state of Manipur for more than six months now.

According to a news report filed by Newmai News Network, with people of all communities living in the multi-ethnic society, regardless of their position, feeling the heat of the ethnic violence that broke out on May 3 last, the Peace Committee of UNC came up with the proposal as the two warring communities are supposedly "facing difficulties to come together to a dialogue table at this moment towards making a sort of a joint declaration to halt violence".

Making a fervent appeal to both the warring communities to show magnanimity by unilaterally declaring to halt the violence, the Naga peace committee maintained that such unilateral declaration for "ceasefire" is actually an act of bravery and magnanimity, and not otherwise.

"If one community unilaterally declares 'ceasefire', the other will follow suit," the news report quoted members of the UNC Peace Committee, who are hopeful that "The act of one who first declares 'ceasefire' will be considered as a historic move and be remembered for generations to come."

The peace committee of UNC, which had earlier urged not only both the state government and the central government to "tirelessly work without fear and favour to ensure the rule of law" in the strife-torn state, but also both the Meitei/Meetei and Kuki-Chin communities to refrain from engaging in "hostile acts and to hold an immediate ceasefire from intermittent firing" as it believes that should be solution to any conflict, also revealed that its members have met leaders of the two warring communities separately.

With the Peace Committee of UNC proposing declaration of unilateral ceasefire, the ball, as they say, is now in the court of both the Meitei/Meetei community and the Kuki-Chin community.

It is up to the leaders of two warring communities now to accept or reject the proposal.

But coming from the apex body of the Nagas in Manipur, who have been staying away from involving in the ongoing violence despite repeated provocations in one form or another, leaders of the two warring communities may as well spare a thought on the proposal if they don't have a better option.

One should not lose sight of the fact that apart from loss of hundreds of precious human lives and rendering homeless thousands of families on both sides of the clash divide, the violent conflict between the Meitei/ Meetei and Kuki-Chin community in Manipur has put the people of all communities in the multi-ethnic society through untold suffering for more than six months now.

Leaders of both the warring communities need to understand that Manipur is a home to people of different ethnic communities who have been co-existing and sharing the joys and sorrows of life since time immemorial.

They have no right to deprive the people of other communities of their rights to live in peace and harmony.

As responsible citizens of the state, it is incumbent upon the leaders of the two warring communities to find a solution to the conflict instead of prolonging it so that their fellow citizens are not subjected to inconvenience of any sort, any more.

The fact that the Peace Committee of UNC has come up with the proposal of declaring unilateral ceasefire by either of the two warring groups after meeting their respective leaders also indicates that the road to reconciliation is a possibility which none should fear to tread.

Having said that, the Peace Committee of UNC may as well reveal the specifics of what transpired in the meetings with the leaders of the two warring communities so that the people, for whom they are supposedly taking up the cudgels, could hold them accountable in case the golden opportunity given them get fizzle out.