A Clarion Call for Unity: Peace as the Basic Foundation for Progress in Manipur
Biswajit Sinha
March 13, 2025
Chitra Singha Foundation, Tripura, and North East Together organized a webinar titled “Peace as the Basic Foundation for Progress in Manipur - Role of Civil Society Organisations,”. In a thought-provoking online discussion held on March 8, 2025, on the occasion of International Women’s Day, women civil society leaders and professionals from the 3 major communities of Manipur deliberated on the role of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in peacebuilding as the state grapples with prolonged conflict. The event featured prominent speakers, including Ms. Shangnaidar Tontang, Ms. Nonibala Narengbam, Ms. Bisoya Loitongbam and Dr. C. Lalbiakdiki. The event was moderated by Biswanath Sinha, a senior social sector leader and policy analyst.
The discussion provided deep insights into the challenges and opportunities for peace in Manipur, the plight of internally displaced persons (IDPs), and the need for a community-led approach to reconciliation. North East together is a consortium of 52 NGOs from across north eastern region of India while CSF, Tripura is from Halahali, Tripura.
A History of Conflict and Hope: The Perspective of Shangnaidar Tontang
Shangnaidar Tonntang from Weaker Sections Development Council, Manipur is a peace activist from the Khoibu sub-tribe of the Naga community, shared her personal experiences of conflict, dating back to the Naga-Kuki conflict of the 1990s, which saw her ancestor’s village burned to the ground. While she acknowledged the deep despair and economic uncertainty created by the latest wave of violence among the Meitei and Kuki communities, she also pointed out that conflicts have increased inter-community understanding in some ways. “This conflict has made us learn about the values and experiences of each community, which we would not have not taken seriously otherwise”.
However, she noted that CSOs have struggled to work openly on peace due to threats from armed militancy groups. Instead, she advocated for an indirect approach to peacebuilding, emphasizing the creation of environments conducive to dialogue rather than directly engaging in overt peace efforts. “In many cases, mentioning ‘peace’ itself is seen as risky. We work within conflict rather than on conflict, fostering conditions where communities can listen to each other,” she stated.
Tongan emphasized that women have played a crucial role in supporting communities through crisis, yet their efforts remain under-recognized. She called for more safe spaces for inter-community exchanges, where women from different ethnic groups could share their experiences.
The Role of Women in Peacebuilding: Nonibala Narengbam’s Perspective
Nonibala Narengbam from Integrated Rural Development Service Organisation, discussed the challenges faced by women-led peace initiatives in the current political climate. As an active member of Women in Governance (WING), she stressed that women from all communities have played vital roles in crisis response, relief efforts, and community mediation.
However, she noted that polarization in Manipur has significantly shrunk the space for dialogue, making it difficult for CSOs and peace groups to mediate effectively. She urged CSOs to create platforms for grassroots storytelling, allowing affected communities to share their lived experiences.
“Right now, discussing peace openly is a challenge. But through storytelling and shared narratives, we can begin to rebuild trust,” Narengbam said. She highlighted traditional ties, including intermarriages and shared festivals, as potential bridges for reconciliation.
Healthcare and the Humanitarian Crisis: Dr. C. Lalbiakdiki’s On-Ground Experience
Dr. C. Lalbiakdiki, a medical doctor from Churachandpur, spoke about the collapse of healthcare services in conflict-affected areas, particularly in southern Manipur. She shared harrowing accounts of patients forced to travel long distances to Aizawl, Guwahati, or Delhi due to the unavailability of even basic medical care.
Despite the violence, she noted that professional relationships between doctors, nurses, and other frontline workers from different ethnic groups have largely remained intact. This, she believes, is one of the few hopeful signs amid the crisis.
“There have been cases where medicines were smuggled in cars, hidden under carpets, to ensure patients got treatment. Even in times of conflict, people find ways to help each other,” she said.
Dr. Lalbiakdiki suggested that professionals in healthcare, law enforcement, education, and social security services continue working together despite political divides, ensuring that essential services are accessible to all communities.
Bringing Back Peace and Progress: The Development Perspective of Bisoya Loitongbam
Bisoya Loitongbam, a professional working in national healthcare projects like 10BedICU, provided a broader perspective on the state’s development trajectory. Ms Loitongbam expressed deep distress over the conflict in Manipur, which she felt had reversed years of progress.
• She emphasised that conflict resolution is difficult during peak violence, as peace efforts lack social support. However, she called upon people to draw on their own personal convictions and avoid falling prey to herd mentality knowingly or unknowingly perpetuating the cycle of cruelty. She urged people to avoid getting trapped in an endless search for the causes of the conflict. Instead, treat it as an accident; involved parties quietly take responsibility for their own actions that may have led to the situation and try to move on
• She stressed the need for safe movement for people, starting with patients, students and travellers. She flagged concern on the inadequacy and poor Relief & Rehabilitation efforts. For example the policy generates perverse incentive for people to languish in the relief camps because to receive compensation, they need to be in the camp. She advocated for a professional, institutional approach, with the government collaborating with experienced NGOs and leveraging community support.
• Addressing civil society’s role, she advised civil society organisations to focus on their own area, that is, samaj, and not try to be samaj, sarkar, and bazaar everything by themselves. The best role that civil society can play is to realise that their mandate is to take up humanitarian work and potentially act as a bridge between the communities. Manipur is at a time when the social capital in the state is at an all-time low. Civil society organisations need to reconstruct the social capital in the state so that trust is rebuilt.
Key Takeaways and Recommendations:
1. Strengthening Civil Society Organizations – CSOs must play a neutral yet proactive role in fostering reconciliation through community dialogue, economic rehabilitation, and shared cultural initiatives.
2. Addressing the IDP Crisis – The government must revise restrictive relief policies, allowing IDPs to rebuild their lives without losing essential aid.
3. Restoring Essential Services – Healthcare, education, and law enforcement agencies must ensure access to services across ethnic divisions, preserving professional relationships.
4. Managing Conflict Narratives – Greater efforts are needed to counter misinformation and promote balanced reporting.
5. Encouraging Women-Led Peace Efforts – Women’s groups must be empowered to lead mediation and storytelling-based reconciliation initiatives.
Conclusion:
The discussion reinforced the critical role of civil society organizations in ensuring that peace becomes the foundation for Manipur’s progress. While deep-seated distrust and violence persist, grassroots initiatives provide hope for rebuilding broken ties. As the state navigates one of its most challenging periods, collaboration between communities, professionals, and civil society actors will be key to a lasting resolution.
(Tripurainfo)