Manipur’s Young Citizens Must Reclaim Politics for Lasting Peace

“Older men declare war. But it is youth that must fight and die. And it is youth who must inherit the tribulation, the sorrow, and the triumphs that are the aftermath of war”—Herbert Hoover. The adage feels painfully apt for Manipur today. Since May 2023, ethnic violence has claimed more than 260 lives and displaced over 60,000 people. Beyond the statistics lies a fractured social fabric and a governance crisis that the state can ill afford to ignore.


A Crisis That Exposed Weak Institutions


The resignation of the Chief Minister and the resulting political paralysis are not mere procedural developments. They expose deeper structural weaknesses administrative hesitation, overlapping authority between the State and Centre, and a lack of decisive leadership at critical moments. Law and order, under the Constitution’s Seventh Schedule, is a state subject. Yet, the appointment of a Unified Command by the Centre blurred responsibilities at the height of the conflict. This ambiguity delayed coordinated responses and created a leadership vacuum when unity of command was essential. Equally troubling was the failure to act swiftly against those who incited violence. Isolated incidents were allowed to snowball into widespread conflict. Long-standing grievances such as land rights, reservation policies, economic opportunity, and representation had been allowed to fester without institutional channels for dialogue or negotiation. In the absence of credible mechanisms for peaceful resolution, communities perceived violence as their only recourse.


Youth Disengagement Carries a High Price


In Manipur, many citizens have come to see politics as a distant spectacle, relevant only on election day or during street protests. This disengagement leaves governance in the hands of a narrow elite and erodes accountability between elections. When young people vacate the political space, misgovernance fills the gap. Politics is not merely about power; it is the means by which societies resolve conflict and shape their collective future. Across Manipur, young people hold a latent desire to serve, to lead, and to heal divisions. To turn that desire into progress, passion must be paired with knowledge and civic action.


Steps Toward a Constructive Political Culture


Reclaiming politics as a positive force requires deliberate effort. Several initiatives could begin immediately:

* Civic Education and Legal Awareness: Youth groups, colleges, and civil society
organisations should run workshops on constitutional rights, grievance redressal mechanisms,
and administrative processes. Digital platforms and multilingual materials can make
government procedures accessible to all communities.

* Transforming Electoral Culture: Communities must move beyond voting based on identity
or patronage. Support candidates who are transparent about their assets, inclusive in their
outlook, and competent in policy matters.

* Youth-Led Peacebuilding: Establish youth research centres and think tanks to study land
rights, development policy, and social cohesion. Create youth peace councils representing all
communities to mediate tensions and promote reconciliation.

* Economic Reconstruction: Launch community-based enterprises to provide livelihoods for
displaced families and rebuild trust between groups through cooperative projects.
These are not abstract ideals; they are practical steps to repair civic trust and prevent future
crises.


Breaking the Cycle of Violence


Manipur has often fallen into a pattern where unresolved disputes erupt into highway blockades, economic shutdowns, and violent clashes. Such disruptions deepen divisions and weaken the economy without delivering durable solutions. Lasting peace depends on embedding negotiation, evidence-based policymaking, and non-violent conflict resolution into public life. Introducing peace education in schools and colleges would ensure that future generations possess the skills and emotional intelligence to manage disputes constructively by understanding democratic processes.


A Call to Imagination and Responsibility


The current crisis is, at its heart, a failure of imagination. Manipur must envision new forms of leadership and governance that place inclusion above identity politics and service above self-interest. The state’s young citizens have both the opportunity and responsibility to chart a different course, one that builds institutions resilient enough to withstand disagreement without collapsing into violence. Military deployments or constitutional manoeuvres can stabilise a moment, but only inclusive political processes can stabilise a future. Every young Manipuri who chooses engagement over apathy, dialogue over violence, and bridge-building over division strengthens the state’s
democratic fabric.


The Time to Lead Is Now


The cost of disengagement has been counted in lives lost, families uprooted, and opportunities squandered. To safeguard Manipur’s future, its youth must step forward questioning authority, participating in governance, and modelling integrity. Politics must again mean service, competence, and reconciliation. The future will not be handed down from those who failed to prevent this crisis. It must be built by those prepared to imagine better and act on that vision today.



The writer is a student of Public Administration and General Secretary (Political Affairs), National People’s Youth Front, National People’s Party Manipur.