Home Ministry Holds Separate Talks with Kuki-Zo MLAs & Meitei, Naga MLAs; No Joint Meeting on Manipur

The much talked about joint meeting called by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) with MLAs from Meitei, Kuki and Naga communities Tuesday to find an amicable solution to the ongoing conflict in Manipur ended up only exposing the deep schism that still exists between the Meiteis and Kukis.

ThePrint reported that instead of holding a joint session to resolve differences between the Meiteis and Kuki-Zo communities, as was previously planned, representatives from the MHA—led by A.K. Mishra—first met separately with Kuki MLAs. Mishra, the home ministry’s interlocutor for Manipur, was accompanied by other MHA officials and BJP’s North-East in-charge Sambit Patra and Manipur in-charge Ajit Gopchade.

After their meeting, which lasted for over two hours, a separate short meeting was held with the Meitei and Naga MLAs.

During the two meetings, MHA stressed the need to restore peace in the hill state and said a joint meeting will be held again soon.

A statement issued by the MHA in the evening said, “A group of elected members of Manipur Assembly, representing Kuki-Zo-Hmar, Meitei and Naga communities, met in New Delhi today to discuss the current scenario in the State. The meeting unanimously resolved to appeal to the people of the State belonging to all communities to shun the path of violence so that no more precious lives of innocent citizens are lost.”

A source privy to the development said only four of the 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs were present in Tuesday’s meeting. “The Kuki-Zo MLAs had requested an exclusive meeting with the MHA at this juncture, which was accepted by the latter,” the first source said.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Kuki People’s Alliance, which has two MLAs in the Manipur assembly, while endorsing the central government’s proposal for talks with MLAs of Meiteis, Kuki and Naga reiterated that the Kuki MLAs will “steadfastly advocate our rightful claim to a Union territory with legislative powers, a necessity borne out of compulsion given our territorial segregation”.

ThePrint report was affirmed by a statement from the Kuki-Zo MLAs issued later this evening. Kuki-Zo MLAs and central government representatives held separate talks, during which the Kuki-Zo representatives made it clear that they are the voice of the people and will communicate the desires and demands of their constituents. The Kuki-Zo MLAs reiterated to the central representatives that unless a separate administration or Union Territory is granted for the Kuki-Zo, they will not discuss peace, according to the statement.

“The KNO-UPF is the only entity mandated by our people to carry forward our political demands. If you cannot continue talks with them (KNO & UPF), we have nothing further to discuss,” the Kuki-Zo MLAs informed the central representatives.

“We will not be able to attend a joint meeting with Meitei and Naga MLAs. If we are to sit together, we must first consult with our CSOs and the public; only then can we consider a joint meeting,” the statement read.

After conveying all this to the central representatives, the Kuki-Zo MLAs stated that the center understood their position, and the meeting concluded.