Centre invites Manipur MLAs across Meitei, Kuki-Zo, Naga communities for meeting

The meeting, convened by Intelligence Bureau, comes nearly a month after Home Minister Amit Shah said that resolving the Manipur situation needs dialogue between the Kuki-Zo and the Meitei communities

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has invited MLAs from all the three communities — Meitei, Kuki-Zo and Naga — of Manipur for a meeting on Tuesday (October 15, 2024). This is the first time the government has called such a meeting.

The meeting is being convened by the Intelligence Bureau, a source said, and no formal agenda has been shared with the MLAs.

The meeting comes nearly a month after Union Home Minister Amit Shah said at a press conference on September 17 that resolving the situation in Manipur requires dialogue between the Kuki-Zo and the Meitei communities, and Centre is in discussion with both the groups.

On June 17, a similar assurance was given by the Home Minister when he reviewed the security situation in Manipur, although in the absence of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh. A statement by MHA had said that the Home Minister underscored the importance of coordinated approach to resolve the ongoing ethnic conflict adding that the “MHA will talk to both the groups, Meiteis and Kukis, so as to bridge the ethnic divide, at the earliest.”

However, no peace committees were formed, and no outreach took place since.

One of the Naga MLAs called to the meeting told The Hindu, “It is an important step towards resolving the crisis in Manipur. However, there has been no information on the agenda for the meeting. This will decide how the Naga community can help in the process. The Naga community has been trying to facilitate dialogue between the two communities but the efforts have not so far amounted to much.”

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Saitu MLA Haokholet Kipgen said, “As convener of the Kuki-Zo MLAs in Manipur, I can say that we are seeking a separate meeting with the MHA before the scheduled peace talks. The outcome of this meeting will determine whether we will attend the talks with the Meitei MLAs.”

A Meitei MLA, whom The Hindu reached out to, confirmed receiving a call to the join the meeting. “But we do not know what is there on the agenda. We are yet to know if the Kuki-Zo MLAs will be coming for the meeting,” the MLA said.

A 51-member peace committee constituted by the MHA on June 10, 2023, was rejected by both the communities.

Wilubou Newmai, a Naga from Manipur, who was part of the defunct committee said, “This is one of the first peace meetings of its kind. People are suffering, especially those in relief camps. Both groups should think about that. The Union Government should make a sincere attempt to address the issue before the gaps between the two communities are widened beyond repair.”

Mr. Newmai said that “it will be good if some kind of a committee is constituted headed by a Union Minister”. “That will be acceptable to both the communities. Meetings with bureaucrats will not suffice, it requires political intervention,” he said.

At least 237 people have been killed in the ethnic violence between the tribal Kuki-Zo and the Meitei people since May 3, 2023. More than 60,000 people have been displaced.

The Imphal Valley has a total of 39 Meitei MLAs, while the hills have 20 MLAs divided between the Naga and the Kuki-Zo tribes. Jiribam, a largely plain area adjoining southern Assam beyond the hills, sends the 60th legislator.

Published - October 14, 2024 08:59 pm IST