Understanding Manipur’s Opium crisis with compassion
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Chongboi Haokip, MCIHort
I write on Manipur’s illegal poppy cultivation issues to defend our people, our environment and our way of life – which are so close to my heart.As poppy fields spread across our hills, blame comes easily. But before judging, we must ask what drove our neighbours to this point. I do not support illegal poppy culti- vation, but we need compassion. Real change begins with understanding the causes and helping farmers find honest ways to live and rebuild their lives.
Behind Manipur's Poppy Fields-Poverty, Pressure, and Fear
When we look closely at what has unfolded in the hills of Manipur, we see more than just fields of flowers. We see fear, pressure, and survival. It is possible that many farmers could have grown illegal poppies under intimidation, or they are blackmailed into it. Some might have done so out of desperation. Others might have had no real choice at all. We don't know unless we care enough to consider the real reason behind it.
It is easy to blame farmers, but harder to ask what forced them into this position. Reports from across Manipur suggest that poppy cultivation expanded over the past decade. When survival is at stake, resistance becomes dangerous. People who only wanted to feed their families became part of a larger system they did not control. The income is deceptive. Once trapped in the cycle of poppy farming, people find it hard to stop. The profit benefits middlemen, not the actual cultivators. The social cost is immense, as families live under constant threat, law enforcement cracks down, and violence spreads like a wild fire.
It is common sense to connect the dots by reading and listening to the news. When we combine poverty and insecurity, we get a system that forces people to choose survival over legality. We cannot expect a farmer with no income and no protection to say no to those who carry guns. We cannot expect a village with no market access to grow only vegetables. And of course, we cannot expect people to resist when there is no one standing beside them.
A Story of Compassion and Resurrection
As I reflected on John 11: 1 to 44 (NIV), about the story from the life of Jesus that speaks powerfully, I could relate it to our current situation in Mani-pur. When Lazarus, died, his sisters Mary and Martha were consumed by grief. When Jesus finally arrived in Bethany, Martha said to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." Mary fell at His feet, weeping, echoing the same lament.
What strikes me most about this story is not just the miracle that followed, but Jesus's response to their pain. The Gospel tells us - "Jesus wept." Before He raised Lazarus from death, before He performed the miracle that would astonish everyone, He stood with the mourners and felt their grief. He saw their suffering and was moved with compassion.
Then Jesus went to the tomb and called out: "Lazarus, come out!" And the man who had been dead for four days walked out, still wrapped in burial cloths. Jesus instructed those standing nearby: "Take off the grave clothes and let him go." This story holds profound wisdom for us today. Manipur's opium crisis is like that which has wrapped our communities in grave clothes - the bindings of fear, poverty, intimidation, and despair. But just as Jesus did not simply weep and walk away, neither can we? And just as Jesus called on the community to unbind Laza-rus and help him walk free, so too must we collectively work to free our farmers from the circumstances that have bound them to illegal poppy cultivation.
Jesus's compassion did not ignore the reality of death, but it refused to accept death as the final word. Similarly, our compassion must not ignore the truth of the opium crisis, but it must refuse to accept it as Manipur's destiny.
The Cost of Division
Illegal poppy cultivation not only harms individuals. It weakens the whole community. Intimidation grows as fear replaces trust, and violence could become a routine. Villages that once worked together now live in suspicion. The sense of collective responsibility fades. That is the real tragedy!
Manipur's strength has always been its communities. Localities stood together, and families supported one another. Communities shared united decisions and understood their responsibilities. These traditions kept people safe in hard times and offered stability even when the government failed. They settled conflicts through dialogue and mutual respect.
But the illegal poppy economy breaks these bonds. It turns neighbours into competitors. It makes collaboration dangerous. It rewards silence and punishes honesty. When communities fracture, external forces fill the vacuum. It becomes a perfect ground for drug networks when societies divide.
The erosion of community trust creates a vicious cycle. As fear takes hold, people retreat into isolation. They stop sharing information. They stop looking out for each other. They stop believing that collective action can make a difference. This isolation makes them even more vulnerable to exploitation by those who control the drug trade.
Why Unity Matters Now
The path forward requires rebuilding what has been broken. No police operation alone can solve this crisis. No government scheme by itself can offer a sustainable alternative. The solution must come from within communities themselves.
It means standing together as a united team. It means village elders, youth groups, women's organisations, and the civil society working in coordination. It means honest conversations about what is happening and why. It means creating spaces where farmers can speak without fear of punishment.
Unity does not mean ignoring the problem. It means facing it collectively. When a community stands united, people find the strength to make hard choices. A farmer who knows his village supports him can reject the drug dealer's pressure.
Community spirit also means taking collective responsibility. Instead of pointing fingers at individual farmers, commu- nities must ask more complex questions. Why were these farmers vulnerable? What economic alternatives exist? Who benefits from keeping people divided? What systems of support have failed? These are uncomfortable questions. They require looking inward at failures of leadership, gaps in social support, and breakdowns in traditional systems. Only by asking these questions can communities learn how to stop the problem from returning.
Moving Forward Together
Anyone with an understanding of Manipur's opium crisis can see that division strengthens the drug trade cartel, while a united community brings hope and restoration. A real community works together across differences. Definitely, every village that stands together, every farmer who leaves poppy farming, and every family that resists fear moves Manipur toward healing and strength. Manipur's restoration depends on unity, shared vision, and common purpose.
It is not about waiting for government intervention or outside rescue. It means recognising that communities hold the power to change our own lives. When people stand together, we resist control. When we act as one, we can solve even the most complex problems.
Just as Jesus wept before He acted, let us first feel the weight of this crisis - not as distant observers but as members of one body, where the suffering of one is the suffering of all. And then, having wept, let us act. Let us call our communities forth from the tomb of this crisis. Let us work together to unbind them from the grave clothes that have held them captive, like supporting the illegal poppy cultivators free from their poppy bondage.
The story of Lazarus shows that renewal needs collective effort. Yes, Manipur's healing depends on Manipur's shared courage. When communities stand together as one, we can restore our environment, restore our dignity, and walk toward a new, promising future!
Statement: I do not support illegal poppy cultivation. I support sustainable alternatives that strengthen society and help affected farmers in Manipur. I stand firmly behind the Manipur Government's "War on Drugs" campaign. As a strong, united community, we must work alongside government agencies that are helping farmers abandon illegal poppy farming. We, the people of Manipur, can eliminate unlawful poppy cultivation through collective effort. I call upon the entire Manipur community to unite as one team in this fight against illegal cultivation of poppy, working together to create sustainable livelihoods and a healthier future for all.
The writer is an international development consultant specialising in Agriculture, horticulture, and trade facilitation. She can be reached at [email protected]
I write on Manipur’s illegal poppy cultivation issues to defend our people, our environment and our way of life – which are so close to my heart.As poppy fields spread across our hills, blame comes easily. But before judging, we must ask what drove our neighbours to this point. I do not support illegal poppy culti- vation, but we need compassion. Real change begins with understanding the causes and helping farmers find honest ways to live and rebuild their lives.
Behind Manipur's Poppy Fields-Poverty, Pressure, and Fear
When we look closely at what has unfolded in the hills of Manipur, we see more than just fields of flowers. We see fear, pressure, and survival. It is possible that many farmers could have grown illegal poppies under intimidation, or they are blackmailed into it. Some might have done so out of desperation. Others might have had no real choice at all. We don't know unless we care enough to consider the real reason behind it.
It is easy to blame farmers, but harder to ask what forced them into this position. Reports from across Manipur suggest that poppy cultivation expanded over the past decade. When survival is at stake, resistance becomes dangerous. People who only wanted to feed their families became part of a larger system they did not control. The income is deceptive. Once trapped in the cycle of poppy farming, people find it hard to stop. The profit benefits middlemen, not the actual cultivators. The social cost is immense, as families live under constant threat, law enforcement cracks down, and violence spreads like a wild fire.
It is common sense to connect the dots by reading and listening to the news. When we combine poverty and insecurity, we get a system that forces people to choose survival over legality. We cannot expect a farmer with no income and no protection to say no to those who carry guns. We cannot expect a village with no market access to grow only vegetables. And of course, we cannot expect people to resist when there is no one standing beside them.
A Story of Compassion and Resurrection
As I reflected on John 11: 1 to 44 (NIV), about the story from the life of Jesus that speaks powerfully, I could relate it to our current situation in Mani-pur. When Lazarus, died, his sisters Mary and Martha were consumed by grief. When Jesus finally arrived in Bethany, Martha said to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." Mary fell at His feet, weeping, echoing the same lament.
What strikes me most about this story is not just the miracle that followed, but Jesus's response to their pain. The Gospel tells us - "Jesus wept." Before He raised Lazarus from death, before He performed the miracle that would astonish everyone, He stood with the mourners and felt their grief. He saw their suffering and was moved with compassion.
Then Jesus went to the tomb and called out: "Lazarus, come out!" And the man who had been dead for four days walked out, still wrapped in burial cloths. Jesus instructed those standing nearby: "Take off the grave clothes and let him go." This story holds profound wisdom for us today. Manipur's opium crisis is like that which has wrapped our communities in grave clothes - the bindings of fear, poverty, intimidation, and despair. But just as Jesus did not simply weep and walk away, neither can we? And just as Jesus called on the community to unbind Laza-rus and help him walk free, so too must we collectively work to free our farmers from the circumstances that have bound them to illegal poppy cultivation.
Jesus's compassion did not ignore the reality of death, but it refused to accept death as the final word. Similarly, our compassion must not ignore the truth of the opium crisis, but it must refuse to accept it as Manipur's destiny.
The Cost of Division
Illegal poppy cultivation not only harms individuals. It weakens the whole community. Intimidation grows as fear replaces trust, and violence could become a routine. Villages that once worked together now live in suspicion. The sense of collective responsibility fades. That is the real tragedy!
Manipur's strength has always been its communities. Localities stood together, and families supported one another. Communities shared united decisions and understood their responsibilities. These traditions kept people safe in hard times and offered stability even when the government failed. They settled conflicts through dialogue and mutual respect.
But the illegal poppy economy breaks these bonds. It turns neighbours into competitors. It makes collaboration dangerous. It rewards silence and punishes honesty. When communities fracture, external forces fill the vacuum. It becomes a perfect ground for drug networks when societies divide.
The erosion of community trust creates a vicious cycle. As fear takes hold, people retreat into isolation. They stop sharing information. They stop looking out for each other. They stop believing that collective action can make a difference. This isolation makes them even more vulnerable to exploitation by those who control the drug trade.
Why Unity Matters Now
The path forward requires rebuilding what has been broken. No police operation alone can solve this crisis. No government scheme by itself can offer a sustainable alternative. The solution must come from within communities themselves.
It means standing together as a united team. It means village elders, youth groups, women's organisations, and the civil society working in coordination. It means honest conversations about what is happening and why. It means creating spaces where farmers can speak without fear of punishment.
Unity does not mean ignoring the problem. It means facing it collectively. When a community stands united, people find the strength to make hard choices. A farmer who knows his village supports him can reject the drug dealer's pressure.
Community spirit also means taking collective responsibility. Instead of pointing fingers at individual farmers, commu- nities must ask more complex questions. Why were these farmers vulnerable? What economic alternatives exist? Who benefits from keeping people divided? What systems of support have failed? These are uncomfortable questions. They require looking inward at failures of leadership, gaps in social support, and breakdowns in traditional systems. Only by asking these questions can communities learn how to stop the problem from returning.
Moving Forward Together
Anyone with an understanding of Manipur's opium crisis can see that division strengthens the drug trade cartel, while a united community brings hope and restoration. A real community works together across differences. Definitely, every village that stands together, every farmer who leaves poppy farming, and every family that resists fear moves Manipur toward healing and strength. Manipur's restoration depends on unity, shared vision, and common purpose.
It is not about waiting for government intervention or outside rescue. It means recognising that communities hold the power to change our own lives. When people stand together, we resist control. When we act as one, we can solve even the most complex problems.
Just as Jesus wept before He acted, let us first feel the weight of this crisis - not as distant observers but as members of one body, where the suffering of one is the suffering of all. And then, having wept, let us act. Let us call our communities forth from the tomb of this crisis. Let us work together to unbind them from the grave clothes that have held them captive, like supporting the illegal poppy cultivators free from their poppy bondage.
The story of Lazarus shows that renewal needs collective effort. Yes, Manipur's healing depends on Manipur's shared courage. When communities stand together as one, we can restore our environment, restore our dignity, and walk toward a new, promising future!
Statement: I do not support illegal poppy cultivation. I support sustainable alternatives that strengthen society and help affected farmers in Manipur. I stand firmly behind the Manipur Government's "War on Drugs" campaign. As a strong, united community, we must work alongside government agencies that are helping farmers abandon illegal poppy farming. We, the people of Manipur, can eliminate unlawful poppy cultivation through collective effort. I call upon the entire Manipur community to unite as one team in this fight against illegal cultivation of poppy, working together to create sustainable livelihoods and a healthier future for all.
The writer is an international development consultant specialising in Agriculture, horticulture, and trade facilitation. She can be reached at [email protected]