Meitei–Kuki Crisis: Heading Towards a “Protracted” Conflict

Immovable points of view often lead to fissures between communities, and if it is about lands tied to ethnicity the conflict is ensured and self-sustaining. The Meitei-Kuki Conflict of May 3 has the signs of becoming a long-drawn conflict. At present the fissure has seeped through the core of society and state institutions. The article looks into the process of distancing of the two communities at social, psychological, and institutional levels which gives the ‘impression’ of eliminating ‘common’ grounds for coming together as shown in the failure of the 51-member Peace Committee or the invitation of all-party meetings in Delhi excluding the incumbent Chief Minister of Manipur. While the conflict vanishes from the national picture, the situation wants concrete and effective conflict resolution strategy to bring them together.