With about four weeks left for the outbreak of the unfortunate violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities to be two years old, it is praiseworthy that the Union Home Ministry has taken the initiative to put leaders of the two Manipur communities face to face for finding a settlement. Much water has flowed down the Iril, Nambul, Thoubal and Nambol to the Imphal River in the past two years. But lasting peace has remained elusive. The violence which first erupted on May 3, 2023, has so far left over 250 persons dead, caused injury to several hundred more, and left several thousand people homeless. Different agencies and experts have forwarded different theories leading to this untoward situation which has left deep scars, both in the mind and in the body. Several attempts at getting leaders of the two communities at war have, to date, not led to anywhere which can be described as positive. While the issue of the Prime Minister not paying a visit to the strife-torn state continues to be debated both inside Parliament and outside, dismissal or resignation of the government led by N Biren Singh on February 10 this year has also not yielded anything worthwhile. Governor A K Bhalla, an old Northeast hand who had also had a good innings as the Union Home Secretary, however, has done a good job in taking a slew of measures for building confidence between the two communities. The latest step, getting leaders of the two sides to sit across the table in the national capital, must be considered a very important step, though it came a bit too late. Though leaders of both sides, as well as officials in the Home Ministry, have chosen to remain tight-lipped for the moment, the most important aspect is that the two sides agreed to meet and actually met in a cordial manner. A joint statement by representatives of both sides would have contributed in a more positive manner. But, as reported in the media, representatives of both sides had certain reservations. It will, however, be too premature to expect a solution or an agreement in the first meeting itself. Resolving such a major issue will take some time, maybe a couple of years. But what is required is that leaders from both sides maintain extra cautiousness in passing remarks at such an early stage. It is sometimes better to maintain silence rather than uttering one single word or sentence which can rekindle the fire which is now under control.