Manipur’s Cycle of Blame and Political Failure

THE tragic deaths of a five-year-old boy and a six-month-old girl in a bomb attack at Tronglaobi on April 7th morning have once again plunged Manipur into a familiar, dark pattern of grief and finger-pointing. As the state limps through 2026, still scarred by the ethnic violence that erupted in May 2023, the loss of two innocent toddlers should have been a moment for solemn reflection and a rigorous search for the truth. Instead, it was immediately hijacked by political actors and angry mobs. Within hours of the blast, before any forensic team could even reach the site, Meitei mobs and local politicians were already shouting their verdict, blaming Kuki-Zo militants for the atrocity.

This rush to judgment is not just reckless; it ignores the physical reality on the ground. Tronglaobi sits deep within the Meitei-dominated valley, an area separated from Kuki-Zo settlements by a strictly monitored buffer zone patrolled by central security forces. For Kuki operatives to sneak through multiple layers of military checkpoints, plant a device in a residential home, and vanish without a trace is a logistical impossibility. By blaming the “other” without a shred of proof, the Meitei mobs and radical groups like the Arambai Tenggol are choosing a convenient scapegoat over actual justice. This narrative serves only to incite more hatred, providing a hollow excuse for the subsequent, shameful attacks on CRPF camps that followed the explosion.

The state government’s response has been equally disappointing. Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand was quick to visit the injured and vehemently condemn the attack, yet his administration remains silent on the systematic suffering of Kuki-Zo communities. While the government hunts for the perpetrators of the Tronglaobi blast, there is a glaring lack of official outrage regarding the recent burning of Kuki villages like P. Gelmol, Mongkot Chepu and Litan Sareikhong. Since the conflict began, more than 227 Kuki-Zo lives have been lost, 7,000 houses burnt, and 360 churches and synagogues destroyed, leaving 41,425 people displaced; yet, the state’s empathy seems reserved for only one side of the buffer zone. A government that only mourns half its citizens is not a government of the people; it is a participant in the conflict.

The current chaos smells strongly of a premeditated political conspiracy. With the 2027 elections on the horizon, there are clear signs that the instability is being stoked to undermine the new administration and pave the way for a return to hardline regional politics. By allowing misinformation to flourish and failing to protect the neutrality of central forces, the state government is playing a dangerous game. Instead of the usual routine of suspending the internet and imposing curfews, the leadership must show the courage to call out radical elements within its own backyard. If Manipur is to ever find normalcy, the cycle of baseless accusations must end, and the government must start treating every life - regardless of tribe or geography - with the same level of dignity and protection.

~ Zogam Today | Editorial (OL) | 08.04.2026