THE violence that erupted along the IT Road
corridor in Kangpokpi district on Thursday (27.08.2026) morning marks a deeply disturbing
setback for a region desperately trying to rebuild stability. Reports detailing an attack on Kuki-Zo farmers tending their
crops near Naibet, alongside accounts of a fatal ambush targeting Naga
civilians between Makui Ashang and Thanamba, paint a tragic picture of
spiralling conflict.
Among those lost were educators and youth leaders,
individuals who represented the future and structural foundation of their
communities.
When agricultural workers guarding their fields and
community leaders travelling on a vital trade route become targets of gunfire,
the impact reaches far beyond the immediate casualties.
Such actions strike directly at the economic livelihood, everyday mobility, and
basic safety of ordinary people who simply wish to live and work in peace.
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This sudden escalation exposes the fragility of local
coexistence along key transport corridors that serve as lifelines for
surrounding villages.
Local governance bodies, including the M. Wakotphai
Village Authority and the Kuki-Zo Village Volunteers, have rightly voiced
serious concerns regarding the role of armed groups and the urgent need to
protect innocent lives.
The continued presence of armed cadres operating with apparent freedom raises
difficult questions about political peace processes and accountability. When
ceasefire agreements or informal understandings fail to guarantee security on
the ground, public faith in institutional solutions rapidly fades. It is a
stark irony that such bloodshed occurs while political leaders and tribal
ministers publicly advocate for normalcy, highlighting a dangerous disconnect
between high-level dialogues and the daily reality faced by rural villagers.
Stopping this cycle of retaliation requires immediate, firm,
and completely impartial action from both Central and State authorities.
Deploying security forces to safeguard critical transport corridors and farming
areas must be treated as an absolute priority to prevent further loss of life. Moreover,
ongoing peace talks cannot serve as a shield for groups that endanger civilian
populations; any meaningful dialogue must be contingent upon a total halt to
violence. Achieving enduring peace requires far more than temporary security
deployments; it demands a fundamental shift from armed hostility toward active,
empathetic dialogue. Peace is not merely the absence of gunfire, but the
presence of trust, justice, and shared security for every community that calls
this region home. When ordinary citizens live in constant fear for their lives
and livelihoods, the social fabric degrades, leaving deep emotional scars
across generations. Community leaders from all sides must resist the pull of
further conflict and actively choose reconciliation over revenge. Investing in
cross-community economic partnerships along vital trade routes like the IT Road
can help restore historical ties of interdependence. Peace is a deliberate
daily choice. By prioritizing humanitarian compassion over territorial rivalry,
the people of Manipur can break the cycle of bloodshed and pave a peaceful,
sustainable future for generations to come.
~ Zogam Today | Editorial | 03.09.2026
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Hill Area Committee (HAC) Resolution: 11 March 2021
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