Time to tilt the balance
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: May 24, 2023 -

WHILE the arrest of a former member of Manipur Legislative Assembly along with two armed Kuki youths for their involvement in the incident of threatening women vegetable sellers and shopkeepers at Tribal Market, New Lambulane leading to fresh outbreak violence in New Checkon area on Monday has once again exposed the dirty politics at play behind the current ethnic clashes between the Kukis and the Meeteis that has engulfed the state in gloom with demonic shadow of suspicious casting over the entire people of the state and beyond, the philanthropic activities being taken by various organisations and concerned individuals for restoration of peace and providing succour to the hapless thousands of displaced people who are taking refuge in various relief centres set up across the state are heart-warming, to say the least.

After the lo Kuki MLAs/ Ministers, who are bound by the rules of the state Assembly and administered oath under the Constitution of the country to uphold interest of the state and protect its people, regardless of their ethnicities, jointly submitted a memorandum rather hastily and raised the demand for a separate administra-tion for the Kuki community within days of the unprecedented communal violence that erupted in Churachandpur district on May 3, the arrest of a former Kuki MLA not just for his involvement in threatening the poor women vegetable sellers and shopkeepers but also harbouring armed elements at his house has shown that the present crisis that the state is going through has been planned laboriously and executed meticulously by some elements who are inimical to the idea of a united Mani-pur as a home to more than 30 ethnic groups with shared history and bloodline.

Amidst this unfolding gloomy scenario, it is heartening to see that many organisations and concerned individuals have been working hard to restore normalcy and provide help to thousands of displaced people who are waiting for normalcy to return in various relief centres set up across the state.

Alongside extending necessary relief assistance to the affected people who have been uprooted from their hearths and homes, concerned citizens of the state have also come together with the noble idea of forming committees and forums so as to help in restoring peace and normalcy in the state.

While an adhoc committee that goes by the name of "Peace Restoration Committee" has sought help from the government, civil society organisations and leaders of communities and churches for creating a safe environment for the return of displaced people to their respec-tive places; "Forum for Restoration of Peace", which is said to have been formed following a congregation of 61 people belonging to Nagas based in Imphal and Pangal community has embarked on a mission to expedite the process of restoring peace and normalcy by visiting places to meet people and leaders of the two warring communities for extending olive leaves.

Such peace initiatives are the need of the hour, and they can definitely tilt the balance, all the more so if the initiatives come from the side of communities which are directly not involved in the present senseless violence but nonetheless felt the same heat of the fire that has inflamed the state today, a fire that has been ignited by some inimical elements who give two hoots about the im-pact their dirty politics would leave behind in the minds of so many innocent people in the days to come, generations after generations.