Nagas and Kukis will remain neighbors with or without war

“War is cruelty. There is no use trying to reform it. The crueler it is, the sooner it will be over.” is a renowned quote attributed to William Tecumseh Sherman, a great United States Army General who played a major role in the US Civil War and in the defeat of the Southern Confederate States, he earned recognition for his command of military strategy but faced criticism for the harshness of his scorched earth policy which he implemented in his military campaign against the confederate states and for his attacks on civilians in Georgia and South Carolina. He strongly believed that war and destruction should be bought upon civilian population in order to quickly end it.
The conflicts between Meiteis and Kukis witnessed the war and devastation on civilians’ populations, which is now followed by the recent attacks on civilians among the Nagas and the Kukis. Those who have lost their loved ones will forever grieve their loss and nothing will recompensate for their loss. If things go on with any control, we may be forced to witness more loss of lives and properties, the cycle of violence will never stop. If situations remain as it is now, the path to war is inevitable. It is fair to say both sides are well equipped with arms, maybe one side may have better arms resources at its disposal, so those who are properly trained in arms and combat will definitely longed for war for them it is normal thing (more kill means more fame) but for peace loving civilians like us, it is inhuman and illogical to see devastations after devastations for nobody benefits from war except those who are in power for, they will remain power before or after war/conflicts. We less forget absolute power to the extremist groups will result in madness and victim will be the people, the civilians as usual.
Nagas and Kukis cannot change their past, post every conflict people from different backgrounds had debated upon who started the fight, some will play victim card, blame each other or put the blame on involvement of third parties, what ever it may be. It is better late than never for Nagas and Kukis to seriously start thinking and start planning by now for what future they desire and what legacy they would prefer to leave behind for the next generation. Legacy of pain and enmity like the present generations have inherited or shared future with acceptance and tolerance to build a better life for all. The present denial of each other identity and political aspirations must stop. Nagas reference to Kukis as late comers or refugees must stop at the same time Kukis reference to Nagas in Manipur as Kacha Nagas must stop, whether both sides recognize each other or not does not matter in reality, as they are neighbors by virtue of our historical legacy and will remain so for it is easy to change our friends but not our neighbors.
All wars or conflicts always leaves a tale of regrets, pain and generations takes long time to recover, I myself lost my father tragically at the hand of security forces, if given an option I would prefer that he had not chosen the life he had, I would want him to grow old and spend more times with his children and grandchildren but we had never had options for the political situations we inherited compelled him to lead a combatant life. Now I feel the people have more options be civilians or armed groups whether to choose the road to peace or war. Nagas and Kukis political aspiration cannot be achieved by butchering each other up, its high time to change the rule of game.
If we think peace is impossible, it will be impossible for peace, as laws of attraction works in that manner, we get what we think. Till then what I suggest may not be the perfect solution but to rein in peace at these difficult times, I lay down following points of proposal in the interest of lasting peace:

1. People must come out of homes hand in hand and march for peace.
2. People must work immediately to form a strong coordination committee with representatives from both sides to tackle any kind of situations.
3. People have to be honest in dealing with each other, no back stabbing.
4. People must take the power from extremist groups failing which violence will continue unabated.
5. People must temporarily suspend supports of every nature to every armed group or politicians, civil society leaders who desire more conflicts.
6. People must ensure armed groups leaves civilian populated areas.
7. People must ensure every decision be taken by the people alone and set up active peace keeping forces consist from both sides of the populations.
8. Central and state governments have to remain neutral and ensure security forces deployed in all vulnerable locations.
   Having laid down the above points of proposal for peace, I also remind that Christianity the peaceful and loving religion that we all practice would just remain a facial make up for the surface beneath a face of hatred and enmity that we all carry, so let’s give peace a chance even when peace activists are hunted down one by one.
   “An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind” Mahatma Gandhi.
   Pakinrichapbo
   For the sake of peace.