Two years on – A Time to Reflect, Rebuild, and Reconcile

As Manipur marks two years since the outbreak of unrest on May 3, 2023, the state finds itself caught between remembrance and reckoning. The scars of the prolonged ethnic conflict, particularly between the Meitei and Kuki communities, remain fresh — marked by the displacement of thousands, lives lost, and communities fragmented. Yet amidst the sorrow, this anniversary brings with it a determined wave of civic engagement from both sides, a powerful sign that society is refusing to surrender to silence or despair.
Across the state, preparations are underway by civil society organisations (CSOs) to observe the day in various forms. The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), is organising a mass public convention in Imphal, calling for collective introspection and national attention to the unresolved crisis. In the hill districts, Kuki CSOs are preparing community vigils, memorial services, and advocacy events to honour the departed and highlight the ongoing insecurity in their regions.
Importantly, this spirit of public observance is extending beyond Manipur. In New Delhi, both Kuki and Meitei CSOs are set to hold parallel commemorative programmes — through peaceful gatherings, panel discussions, and press briefings — intended to engage the national media, lawmakers, and concerned citizens. These Delhi-based events signal that the crisis in Manipur is not just a regional concern but a national failure demanding urgent redress.
Two years on, what also stands exposed is the worrying erosion of constitutional governance in the state. In several hill districts, particularly those affected by the violence, the writ of the state has all but collapsed. Law enforcement is patchy, civil administration remains paralyzed, and the rule of law is inconsistent — often replaced by vigilante justice or community-based control. The inability of the Government of India and the state government to uphold basic constitutional machinery in these areas has widened the trust deficit, and with it, prolonged the path to normalcy.
It is in this backdrop that the commemorations by CSOs gain deeper significance. These are not mere rituals of remembrance; they are public assertions that people still care, that democratic participation must not die even when governance falters. The parallel observances by Kuki and Meitei groups, even when distinct in tone and demand, are signs that dialogue, identity, and collective memory remain active forces in Manipur’s civil society.
We urge that these moments of reflection be used not to deepen division, but to build new bridges. Both communities have legitimate grievances and painful histories. But no resolution is possible without acknowledging the shared future they inhabit. Peace will not come from apathy or blame; it must come from responsible leadership, transparent governance, and a recognition that reconciliation is not surrender — it is strength.
Manipur stands at a historic juncture. May this second anniversary be remembered not only for the conflict it marks, but for the courage of those who chose to confront it — not with arms, but with ideas, advocacy, and hope.