Stressing that peace in Manipur cannot be restored without rebuilding trust among its fractured communities, National People’s Party (NPP) president and Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K. Sangma on Saturday in Imphal called for sustained dialogue and reconciliation while asserting that the rehabilitation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) must remain a top priority in efforts to restore normalcy in the conflict-hit state.
Event Context
Addressing reporters on the second day of his two-day visit to Manipur, Sangma described the situation as “very complicated” and said resolving the crisis would require patience, confidence-building measures and the collective participation of all stakeholders.
“The first and most important thing is that we need to move forward. Things have been very challenging and very difficult for the people of Manipur. If we continue to look only at what went wrong, we may never be able to move forward,” Sangma said.
Asked whether displaced families could return before the 2027 Assembly elections, Sangma said every effort was being made to achieve that objective, although the process remained challenging because of the complexities involved.
“We have never had a pre-poll alliance in any state Assembly election. We will go before the people with our own manifesto and principles. Post-poll decisions will depend on the mandate given by the people,” he said.
He added that the party’s manifesto committee would deliberate on issues such as peace, rehabilitation, economic recovery and governance before finalising the party’s vision document for the 2027 Assembly elections.
Player Focus
Calling the rehabilitation of internally displaced persons one of the NPP’s foremost concerns, Sangma said the party had extended financial assistance to displaced families and would continue to advocate for their safe return.
“We have consistently raised the issue that every effort should be made to ensure that IDPs are able to return safely to their homes and villages. The government and the Centre are trying to achieve that, and we will continue to raise their concerns,” he said.
Sangma also underscored the need for economic revival, saying the prolonged conflict had severely affected livelihoods and stalled development in the state.
“We need a strong economic policy that creates industries and employment opportunities based on Manipur’s strengths. Livelihoods have suffered and the state’s development has been affected,” he said.
On the political front, Sangma ruled out a pre-poll alliance with the BJP for the 2027 Manipur Assembly elections, reiterating that the NPP would contest independently with its own manifesto and ideology.
Match Outlook
Appealing to all communities to work together, he said peace could not be achieved overnight but had to begin with rebuilding trust through continuous engagement.
“We must give peace a chance. We must understand that we need to work together and live together. We have been living together for a reason. It is easier said than done, but we need to start somewhere,” he said.
Sangma said discussions with party legislators, state leaders, youth representatives and office-bearers during his visit were focused primarily on the prevailing situation in Manipur rather than organisational matters.
“The majority of the discussions were about how we can play our part in improving the situation, bringing stability and peace, and supporting internally displaced persons,” he said.
He acknowledged that there was no immediate solution to the crisis but stressed that sustained engagement and confidence-building measures were essential to restoring normalcy.
“The consistency with which we work and the trust we build must start now. As a political party, we must reach out to people as much as possible and engage with all sections of society,” he said.
On the issue of infiltration, Sangma said there could be no compromise on national security but stressed that decisions should be implemented in a manner that carried local communities along.
“There can be no compromise on national security or national interest. At the same time, decisions must be taken by carrying people along and ensuring that local communities understand why those decisions are necessary,” he said.
