GUWAHATI: The 'reopening' of National Highway 2, the lifeline of Manipur is being seen as the first step towards peace. Yet, given the ethnic divide and underlying tension, Meiteis are unlikely to use the road that connects the State with the country beyond via Nagaland.
The PIB issued a statement on September 4 stating that the “Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) has decided to open the National Highway-02 for the free movement of commuters and essential goods.”
The decision followed a series of meetings that KZC had with officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs in New Delhi.
However, two days later, two umbrella organisations of Kuki-Zo rebel groups said KZC’s appeal was specifically confined to the Kangpokpi stretch, “aimed at encouraging cooperation with central security forces to ensure the safe passage of essential goods.”
They also said that this gesture must not be misinterpreted as an endorsement of unrestricted movement across buffer zones between Meitei and Kuki-Zo areas.
Kangpokpi, a Kuki-majority district, lies between Meitei-majority Imphal East and Naga-majority Senapati districts. Another highway enters Manipur from southern Assam’s Barak Valley, and passes through Kuki-Zo villages.
National Highway 2 is preferred by commuters as it is a much shorter route. Meiteis have not used this road since the ethnic violence erupted in May 2023.
According to locals in Imphal, it is very unlikely that Meiteis will use it unless there is some semblance of reconciliation between the two communities.
“Even if there is full-proof security on the highway, Meiteis will hesitate to use it because there is fear,” a resident of Imphal said, wishing not to be named.
The ethnic conflict internally partitioned the state – Meiteis cannot go to Kuki-Zo areas or leave the Imphal Valley by road as arterial roads pass through Kuki-Zo areas and similarly, Kuki-Zo tribals cannot come to the Meitei-majority Imphal Valley.
Kuki-Zos living in areas, including Churachandpur, are now required to travel a long distance to go to Mizoram for onward journey to other states by road or air.