The People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) has called for an end to hostility between the different communities of Manipur, asserting that the people must not allow themselves to be turned against one another amid the prolonged conflict in the state.
In a statement issued on the eve of its 49th Foundation Day, PREPAK Chairman of the Interim Council Aheiba Angom said the present crisis should be examined beyond the immediate question of who fired the first shot, and urged the people to identify what he described as the forces and policies responsible for deepening divisions among communities.
The statement, issued on October 8, said PREPAK’s 49th Foundation Day would be observed on October 9. The outfit paid tribute to those it described as martyrs of the struggle for the restoration of Kangleipak’s sovereignty and independence, while extending greetings to the people, revolutionary organisations, the WeSEA revolutionary fraternity and the media fraternity.
Using the analogy of black and red ants placed in a pot, PREPAK argued that communities which had lived together relatively peacefully could be made to fight one another when an external force “shakes the pot”. It said the analogy reflected what it considered the deeper roots of the present crisis in Kangleipak.
According to the statement, people belonging to different ethnic communities, despite differences in traditions, languages and religions, had historically coexisted and developed a shared social and cultural ecosystem. PREPAK contended that colonial administrative policies subsequently introduced divisions between the hills and the valley, creating separate administrative practices and contributing to divergent political perceptions.
The organisation further claimed that the administrative structures introduced during British rule were not substantially dismantled after India’s independence. Referring to the Manipur (Village Authorities in Hill Areas) Act, 1956, the Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms Act, 1960, the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Councils Act, 1971 and the Hill Areas Committee under Article 371-C, PREPAK alleged that such arrangements had contributed to deepening divisions between communities.
The statement said the conflict that erupted in 2023 had transformed longstanding social relationships, with communities increasingly viewing one another as threats. It questioned how long the crisis would continue and warned that the continuing fragmentation could result in severe social and economic losses.
PREPAK said issues surrounding land, political representation, migration, identity, development, customary rights, security, historical injustices and the future of indigenous people were genuine concerns that could not simply be dismissed. At the same time, it cautioned that such grievances could be exploited to create hostility and mistrust between communities.
The outfit called for a critical examination of armed violence against civilians and questioned attempts to claim representation of communities through violence. It also urged people to examine the consequences of allowing armed groups to dictate terms to society in the name of security.
A central theme of the statement was PREPAK’s appeal against allowing differences among communities to become permanent political and social divisions. It said the people should not treat their neighbours as adversaries and argued that peaceful coexistence must remain the basis for determining the future of the state.
“Our enemy is neither the communities living together with us nor our neighbours but the hand that shakes the pot from outside,” the statement said, while urging people not to repeat the cycle of internal conflict.
PREPAK alleged that India had continued what it described as the divisive legacy of British colonial administration and accused the Indian government of exploiting differences among communities for political and administrat
