Dimapur, August 2 (MExN): The Zeliangrong Welfare Association, Delhi (ZWAD) has appealed to civil society organisations (CSOs) in the Zeliangrong region, particularly in Manipur, to remain impartial and promote dialogue amid the ongoing tensions between the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) and the NSCN (IM).
In a statement issued on August 2, the association said the continuing crisis in Manipur, marked by insecurity and social fragmentation, had created an environment in which various underground groups were seeking to influence public opinion, particularly in Zeliangrong areas.
Expressing concern over what it described as the perceived alignment of some civil society organisations with one side while openly criticising another, ZWAD said such actions compromised the neutrality, credibility and moral authority expected of civil society institutions.
The association said CSOs exist to safeguard public interest, promote justice, encourage dialogue and foster peaceful coexistence, adding that their legitimacy rests on independence and impartiality.
"When civil society becomes an extension of competing interests by promoting selective narratives or mobilising public sentiment in favour of particular groups, it ceases to fulfil the very purpose for which it exists," the statement said.
ZWAD expressed concern over the ongoing tensions between the ZUF and the NSCN (IM), saying it was regrettable that some civil society platforms were being perceived as partisan participants rather than impartial facilitators of dialogue and reconciliation.
The association said dialogue, democratic engagement and peaceful coexistence remained the only sustainable means of resolving disputes, whether within the community or with neighbouring communities.
It also said that at a time when the Zeliangrong people faced external challenges concerning their collective rights and ancestral lands, internal rivalries were increasingly diverting attention from larger issues.
According to the association, repeated public statements and competing narratives appeared to be aimed more at securing public support than resolving differences, thereby weakening collective unity.
Appealing to civil society leaders across the Zeliangrong region, particularly in Manipur, ZWAD urged them to exercise wisdom, restraint, fairness and moral courage in discharging their responsibilities.
It said every public statement and action should contribute to healing rather than division, dialogue rather than confrontation, and unity rather than discord, while reaffirming the community's shared commitment to peace, justice and its collective future.
