India, July 28 -- It is clear by now that the crisis in Manipur is not one that can be resolved with piecemeal solutions or patchwork government initiatives, given that inter-community hostilities have engulfed every group in the north-eastern state. It is a sorry commentary on the administration's performance that the embers of violence continue to smoulder three years after clashes first broke out.

This newspaper reported on Tuesday that Kuki-Zo groups launched an indefinite counter-economic blockade on the highway connecting the state with neighbouring Nagaland. This came in response to an economic blockade by Naga and Meitei groups protesting against the killings of six Naga hostages last month. The decision was taken and implemented...