The violence that erupted between two communities at villages under Pungro area on October 10, 2026, is a grim reminder that administrative recognition alone cannot guarantee lasting peace. The incident, which reportedly left one person dead, another injured and several houses burnt or vandalised, has caused fear, displacement and renewed mistrust. What should have been a celebration of cultural identity and community life instead became a scene of destruction, exposing the fragility of coexistence where questions of authority, land and jurisdiction remain unresolved. The immediate trigger was reportedly a dispute connected with the holding of the festival. However, it would be simplistic to treat the violence as merely a clash over a cultural event. The incident points to deeper tensions rooted in competing claims, customary authority, local jurisdiction and a history of mistrust. When such issues remain unsettled, even a seemingly local disagreement can escalate into violence, with ordinary people paying the heaviest price. The January 2022 recognition settlement and the government guidelines intended to regulate relations between the communities were meant to provide a framework for coexistence. Yet the latest violence raises an uncomfortable question: did the settlement resolve the underlying issues, or did it merely postpone a confrontation? Recognition is important because it acknowledges identity and community rights, but it cannot, by itself, settle every question concerning territorial authority, administrative jurisdiction and customary practices. Where these questions remain ambiguous, the scope for competing interpretations and confrontation continues. At the same time, the latest incident should not be used to dismiss the value of the 2022 settlement or to suggest that coexistence is impossible. Rather, it demonstrates the limitations of an arrangement that may have provided a formal basis for peace without establishing sufficiently trusted mechanisms to prevent disputes from escalating. A settlement is only as strong as the willingness of the parties to honour it and the ability of the authorities to enforce it fairly. Neither community can claim to benefit from a cycle of retaliation. Violence only deepens grievances, hardens positions and passes bitterness to another generation. Those who suffer most are often families with little influence over the disputes that place their lives and livelihoods at risk. The state government must therefore move beyond temporary security deployments and appeals for calm. It should ensure an impartial investigation, bring those responsible to justice and provide immediate assistance to affected families. At the same time, the administration must facilitate structured dialogue between the two tribal councils and other recognised community representatives. Any ambiguity in the existing guidelines concerning authority, jurisdiction and customary rights must be examined and clarified through a transparent process acceptable to both sides. Security measures may prevent further violence in the short term, but only a credible political and administrative process can address its causes. The church also has an important role to play. Given its influence in community life, it can help rebuild trust, restrain inflammatory rhetoric and encourage reconciliation without appearing to take sides. Community leaders, elders and civil society organisations must likewise discourage rumour, collective blame and retaliatory mobilisation. Ultimately, both communities must reaffirm their right to live in peace and recognise that no claim, however strongly held, justifies violence against fellow citizens. The government and the church must work together to create an acceptable path forward. Recognition must lead to reconciliation, and reconciliation must rest on justice, mutual respect and clear rules.
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