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Ngaranmi Shimray
Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen’s outreach to Naga villages, invoking Christianity, forgiveness and peaceful coexistence, may appear reassuring. However, peace cannot be measured by speeches, ceremonial visits, religious appeals or the distribution of welfare benefits. It must be measured by justice, security, accountability and the protection of innocent lives.
At a time when Naga civilians have been killed in successive attacks, including the horrifying reported beheading of a Naga civilian, the immediate priority must be justice, security and accountability. These incidents cannot be brushed aside through appeals for forgiveness while the perpetrators remain unaccoun- table.
Now, on 19 October 2026, reports have emerged alleging that three Meitei individuals have also been killed and some injured by Kuki militants. If confirmed, these latest killings further expose the dangerous deterioration of Mani- pur’s security situation.
They demand unequivocal condemnation, an impartial investigation and swift action against those responsible.
The question is no longer merely whether Nagas and Kukis can coexist peacefully. It is whether the Government is capable of protecting Nagas, Meiteis, Kukis and every other community from armed violence.
As Deputy Chief Minister, Nemcha Kipgen must demonstrate what concrete measures have been taken to protect vulnerable villages, facilitate impartial investigations, restrain armed groups and prevent further bloodshed. Her Constitutional responsibility extends to every citizen of Manipur, irrespective of ethnicity.
Her outreach also raises a larger political question : Is this a genuine attempt to address underlying grievances, or an exercise in managing public perception while fundamental questions of justice remain unanswered ?
Equally remarkable is the fact that Nemcha Kipgen visited Naga villages and reportedly received a welcome despite the United Naga Council-led civil society organisations having demanded her removal from office. That demand forms part of the wider Naga civil society response to the killings and security crisis.
This apparent contradiction deserves serious reflection. Hospitality and willingness to engage should not automatically be interpreted as political endorsement, withdrawal of grievances or acceptance of the status quo. Naga communities must distinguish between extending traditional hospitality and gran- ting political legitimacy.
Nagas need not reject dialogue or peaceful coexistence. Nor should ordinary Kuki civilians be collectively blamed for the alleged crimes of armed organisations. Indeed, the suffering of innocent civilians across all communities should strengthen the demand for impartial justice rather than deepen ethnic hostility.
However, reconciliation cannot mean overlooking atrocities, compromising legitimate political rights or treating development assistance as a substitute for accountability.
Christianity teaches forgiveness, but forgiveness cannot be invoked selectively to silence victims or shield perpetrators from justice. Genuine reconciliation requires truth, responsibility and a credible commitment to preventing further violence. Peace without accountability is fragile. Co- existence without mutual respect is hollow. And political outreach without concrete action cannot restore public trust.
Manipur does not need another publicity exercise in the name of peace. It needs a Government that protects lives, upholds justice and holds armed perpetrators accountable, regardless of their ethnic or political affiliations.