UKHRUL/IMPHAL: Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Boro has appealed for sustained inter-community dialogue, reconciliation and collective efforts to restore peace in Manipur, stressing that lasting peace cannot be imposed through security measures alone but must be cultivated through trust, understanding and cooperation.
In a statement titled “Listen to Your Inner Voice: An Appeal for Peace and Reconciliation,” Boro said the humanitarian mission undertaken by a group of like-minded senior citizens and friends to Imphal last week was aimed at expressing solidarity with the people of Manipur and supporting efforts towards peace and reconciliation.
ALSO READ Meitei Alliance, MHS Call for Impartial Crackdown on Armed Groups, SoO Review
During the visit, he met the governor and chief minister and conveyed his best wishes for their efforts to restore peace and normalcy in the state. He said the initiative was appreciated by both, although the visit also raised some misgivings in certain quarters regarding its purpose and objectives.
Explaining the background of the initiative, Boro said discussions at the two-day North East Peace Dialogue, organised in the first week of October by the North East Peace Foundation for Sustainable Futures and Tezpur University, had underscored the need for confidence-building measures, institutional capacity-building and a comprehensive peace framework for the region.
The dialogue brought together public representatives, retired civil servants, security experts, academicians, religious leaders and civil society organisations to deliberate on conflict, changing peace dynamics, reconciliation and sustainable development.
A joint statement titled the “Tezpur Declaration”, issued on October 3, 2026, called for restoring public confidence in government institutions, strengthening institutional capacity to handle conflict situations, promoting peace education and developing a comprehensive peace plan.
Drawing from the experience of the Bodoland region in Assam, Boro highlighted the importance of sustained citizen-led peace initiatives and rebuilding relationships after prolonged inter-community conflict.
He noted that more than 26 communities in Bodo-inhabited areas across five districts of Assam were now living peacefully after decades of inter-community conflict, attributing the progress to sustained efforts to rebuild relationships, strengthen institutions and encourage social transformation.
However, he cautioned that the Bodoland experience should not be directly replicated in Manipur, as every conflict has its own history, complexities and local dynamics. Any initiative, he said, must emerge from the aspirations and priorities of Manipur’s own communities, drawing upon their experiences, institutions and existing peace-building efforts.
Manipur conflict a human tragedy
Describing the crisis in Manipur as a human tragedy, Boro said the state needed urgent intervention to strengthen inter-community trust, promote social harmony, protect human dignity and restore everyday relationships.
He stressed that peace-building must extend beyond security and political interventions to include inter-community dialogue, education, psychosocial healing and initiatives that enable communities to rebuild trust.
“The central proposition is that sustainable peace cannot be imposed exclusively from above; it must be cultivated within institutions, communities and the minds of everyday relationships,” he stated.
Reflecting on the human cost of the violence that erupted in May 2023, Boro said countless families had been displaced, community relationships disrupted and the fragility of trust between people exposed.
He said the suffering of mothers who had lost children, families forced to abandon their homes and children growing up viewing their neighbours as enemies could not be justified by political explanations.
Boro also cautioned against attributing the actions of individuals to entire communities, saying such approaches further eroded the foundations of inter-community trust.
Northeast’s shared heritage as foundation for peace
Highlighting the region’s shared cultural heritage, Boro said North East India had historically sustained relationships across generations through traditions of mutual support, solidarity and interdependence.
He cited shared economic needs, agricultural practices, community cooperation, marriage ceremonies, funerals, festivals and customary rituals as examples of social practices that had helped communities maintain relationships.
He said these traditions should not be romanticised as evidence that historical relationships were free from conflict, but should instead be recognised as examples of social practices through which trust, reciprocity and interdependence had been cultivated.
Boro said the region’s diversity should become a source of shared strength rather than a justification for exclusion and mutual destruction.
ALSO READ: Two Naga Youths Handed Over to Senapati Police After Being Detained in Taphou Kuki Village
Calls for collective responsibility
Outlining the purpose of the recent visit to Manipur, Boro said the delegation was a voluntary, non-governmental initiative comprising concerned citizens who empathised with the people of the state and considered it their moral responsibility to contribute towards peace.
The initiative seeks to promote inter-community dialogue by providing a credible platform for communities to acknowledge suffering, clarify grievances, resist misinformation and develop practical forms of cooperation.
He said the group would also explore inter-community social, cultural, sports and educational activities, including youth and student exchange programmes and camps, to foster social harmony and sustainable peace.
“Manipur must not become a permanent symbol of humanity’s failure. Let Manipur become a testament to humanity and its capacity to heal by acknowledging suffering and choosing a future beyond inherited hostility,” he appealed.
Boro concluded that reconciliation would not be easy, as grief could not be hurried, trust could not be commanded and justice could not be replaced by declarations of goodwill.
However, he said the difficulty of achieving peace should not become a reason to abandon the effort, but rather a reason to approach it with greater seriousness, patience and moral courage.
ALSO READ ‘Zomi: Reclaiming Identity & Brotherhood’ Launched Online, Authors to Donate Proceeds to IDPs
