Stressing that peace cannot be restored in Manipur without rebuilding trust among its fractured communities, NPP chief and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Saturday in Imphal called for sustainable dialogue and reconciliation while emphasizing that the rehabilitation of internally displaced persons must remain a top priority in efforts to restore normalcy in the conflict-hit state.
Speaking to reporters on the second day of his two-day visit to Manipur, Sangma described the situation as “very complex” and said resolving the crisis would require patience, confidence-building measures and collective participation of all stakeholders.
“The first and most important thing is that we need to move forward. Things have been very difficult and 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.
Calling on all communities to work together, he said peace cannot be achieved overnight but must begin with rebuilding trust through sustained 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. This is easier said than done, but we have to start somewhere,” he said.
Sangma said discussions with party legislators, state leaders, youth representatives and office bearers during his visit primarily focused on the prevailing situation in Manipur rather than organizational matters.
He said: “The majority of discussions centered on how to do our part in improving the situation, establishing stability and peace, and supporting internally displaced people.”
He acknowledged that there was no immediate solution to the crisis, but stressed that continued engagement and confidence-building measures were necessary to restore normalcy.
“The consistency with which we work and the trust we build must start now. As a political party, we must reach out to the people as much as possible and engage with all segments of society,” he said.
Describing the rehabilitation of internally displaced persons as one of the most important concerns of the NPP, Sangma said the party has provided financial assistance to displaced families and will continue to advocate for their safe return.
He said: “We have constantly raised the issue of the need to make every effort to ensure that the displaced are able to return safely to their homes and villages. The government and the Center are trying to achieve this, and we will continue to raise their concerns.”
Asked whether displaced families could return before the 2027 Assembly elections, Sangma said every effort is being made to achieve this goal, although the process remains difficult due to the complexities involved.
On the issue of infiltration, Sangma said there could be no compromise on national security, but stressed the need to implement decisions in a way that encourages local communities.
“There cannot be any compromise on national security or national interest,” he said. “At the same time, decisions must be made by involving people and making sure that local communities understand why these decisions are necessary.”
Sangma also stressed the need for economic revival, saying the protracted conflict had severely affected livelihoods and halted 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-election alliance with the BJP for the 2027 Manipur Assembly elections, reiterating that the NPP will contest independently with its own manifesto and ideology.
“We have never had a pre-election alliance in any state assembly election. We will face the people with our own manifesto and principles. Post-election decisions will depend on the mandate given to us by the people,” he said.
He added that the party’s manifesto committee will deliberate on issues such as peace, rehabilitation, economic recovery and governance before finalizing the party’s vision document for the 2027 General Assembly elections.
