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The Home Ministry team the delegation met was led by the ministry’s North East Advisor A K Mishra and IB Joint Director Rajesh Kamble.
A delegation of 19 representatives from three Manipur valley-based civil society organisations met with officials from the Union Home Ministry in Delhi Monday in continuation with previous rounds of talks with these groups.
This was the first time that representatives of all three major groups – COCOMI, AMUCO and FOCS – representing Meitei interests met with MHA officials together in Delhi. The Home Ministry team the delegation met was led by the ministry’s North East Advisor A K Mishra and IB Joint Director Rajesh Kamble.
In a joint statement, they outlined key issues that they raised in the meeting. It stated that it “reaffirmed its non-compromising stance on any initiative that could undermine the territorial integrity of the state,” a stance that is in opposition to the demand by Kuki-Zo groups for a ‘separate administration’ system for parts of the state where their community is in the majority.
“The delegation pressed for the urgent need to ensure free movement for all, emphasising that it is not only a fundamental right and a constitutional obligation of the government, but also the first essential step towards restoring peace in the state,” they said in their statement.
Since the start of the conflict in May 2023, members of either conflicting community have largely not travelled in areas where the other community is in majority. The opening up of the state’s highways by all communities has also been contentious with Kuki-Zo groups expressing hesitation to agree to this without discussion on their political demands.
They emphasised two other long-standing demands. First, that a National Register of Citizens (NRC) be implemented in the state or a similar mechanism “to address the issue of illegal immigration”, which they have held to be the key reason for volatility in the region.
The other is opposition to extension of Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreements with Kuki-Zo insurgent groups “without a prior comprehensive and amicable understanding among all stakeholders within the state.”
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Last month, Kuki-Zo representatives had resolved that dialogues with the Government of India on behalf of the community would only be done by the SoO groups and talks are underway between these groups and the Union government on reviewing the ground rules of the SoO agreements.
“The MHA officials assured the delegation that the matters raised are being seriously considered and will be forwarded to the appropriate authorities for necessary action and approvals..,” the joint statement by the delegation said.
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