Governor’s Meeting with Village Volunteers: A Step Towards Peace and Justice

The recent meeting between the Governor of Manipur and the village volunteers who have taken up arms to defend their homes and communities marks a significant step in acknowledging the realities of the ongoing conflict. In a situation where the state has failed to provide adequate protection, these volunteers have been forced into the role of defenders—not by choice, but by necessity. The Governor’s decision to meet them, hear their grievances, and understand their perspective is a welcome development that should be encouraged and built upon.
This engagement comes after the Governor’s directive for these volunteers to surrender their weapons. While peace and disarmament are the ultimate goals, any process to achieve them must be fair, balanced, and rooted in justice. The village volunteers are not militants or insurgents; they are ordinary citizens who took up arms only to protect their people in the face of relentless attacks. Unlike Kuki militant groups that have waged offensives while simultaneously engaging in negotiations with the government, these volunteers have no agenda other than ensuring the survival of their communities. To ask them to disarm without first guaranteeing their security would be both unrealistic and unjust.
Predictably, the Governor’s outreach has been met with opposition from certain Kuki militant groups and their affiliated organizations. Their criticism is not only hypocritical but also exposes their vested interests in prolonging the conflict. These groups have long engaged in armed violence while enjoying state-sanctioned negotiations and immunity from action. Yet, they now object to similar engagement with valley-based defenders, showing that their real concern is not peace, but maintaining their own unchecked power. If they were truly interested in stability, they would support a process that includes all affected groups instead of attempting to delegitimize the village volunteers.
The double standards in how different armed groups are treated have fueled widespread frustration among the Meitei community. Kuki militants continue to move freely, attack civilians, and dictate terms under the protection of suspension-of-operation (SoO) agreements. Meanwhile, village volunteers—who took up arms only after their homes and families were attacked—are immediately labeled as unlawful and pressured to surrender. This blatant imbalance has eroded trust in the government’s ability to act impartially. The Governor’s decision to engage directly with the volunteers, therefore, is an important corrective step in addressing these grievances.
However, dialogue alone is not enough. If this meeting is to have any real impact, it must be followed by tangible action. The Governor must push the central government to dismantle the armed Kuki militant groups that continue to terrorize civilians. Any attempt at peace must begin with ensuring that no community is left defenseless while its attackers remain armed. Selective disarmament is not a solution—it is an invitation for further violence. The government must adopt a balanced approach, one that prioritizes the safety of all communities rather than appeasing one group at the cost of another.
The village volunteers, for their part, must continue to remain disciplined and focused on their role as protectors of their people. Their struggle is one of necessity, and they must ensure that their actions remain rooted in the defense of their communities rather than devolving into lawlessness. If the government truly wishes to disarm them, it must first provide alternative security arrangements that ensure the safety of their villages. Until then, any attempt at forced disarmament will only deepen the crisis.
It is clear that those opposing this meeting do not want peace—they want the conflict to continue so that they can maintain their dominance. Manipur cannot afford to be held hostage by these divisive forces. The Governor’s meeting with the village volunteers has set an important precedent, one that acknowledges their struggle and legitimizes their concerns. Now, it is up to the government to ensure that this engagement leads to meaningful changes on the ground.