India, Sept. 5 -- After more than two years of tumult that has not only torn apart Manipur but also created seemingly unbridgeable chasms between communities, the state appears to be taking tentative steps toward peace. This week, the Centre signed a landmark tripartite agreement with Kuki-Zo insurgent groups and the state government, and convinced protesters to restart traffic on an arterial highway that was blocked for two years. The twin developments are significant , and coupled with the fact that fewer instances of violence have been reported since President's Rule was imposed in the state in February, they represent tangible progress in a volatile sociopolitical landscape. The agreement's immediate practical impact (the reopening of...