10 Kuki-Zo MLAs And Manipur Cabinet Call For Political Dialogue, Differ In All Other Critical Areas
10 Kuki-Zo MLAs from Manipur have condemned the state government’s cabinet resolution
New Delhi:
Ten Kuki-Zo MLAs from Manipur are urging the Centre and the state government to begin a political dialogue to establish lasting peace in the troubled region. This call comes just two days after the Manipur cabinet also expressed the same sentiment.
The 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs, who have been advocating for a separate administration to be formed in Manipur, released an eight-point statement on Wednesday. In this statement, they also denounced the attack on the homes of Meitei MLAs and ministers by unruly Meitei mobs.
While both the Manipur cabinet’s resolution and the statement from the 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs highlight the need for a high-powered committee to investigate the recent violence and tensions, they differ significantly on other crucial matters.
The Kuki-Zo MLAs emphasized the importance of the high-powered committee looking into the involvement of certain political parties and individuals with secessionist tendencies who may be exploiting the situation. They also raised concerns about the escalating violence and tensions, suggesting that it might be politically motivated to save the Chief Minister’s position.
These 10 MLAs have not attended any assembly sessions since May 2023 due to the ethnic clashes between the Meitei community and the Kuki tribes. The clashes stemmed from disagreements over land, resources, affirmative action policies, and political representation. They cited safety concerns and the lack of conducive conditions for a political dialogue as reasons for their absence from the sessions in Imphal.
The Kuki-Zo MLAs criticized the Manipur government’s resolution to conduct operations against what they refer to as “Kuki militants.” They called for a more comprehensive approach to recover illegal arms from all militia groups across the state. The MLAs also questioned the decision to hand over cases related to civilian deaths to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), suggesting a communal bias in the state’s actions.
In a recent incident, six members of a Meitei family were taken hostage by individuals now labeled as “Kuki militants.” Their bodies were later discovered in a river. The hostage-taking occurred on the same day when the CRPF allegedly killed 10 Kuki men in an encounter. While the police have labeled the deceased as militants, Kuki civil society groups consider them martyrs.
The Kuki-Zo MLAs called for a more balanced approach in addressing the violence in the state, urging a fair investigation into all civilian killings regardless of community affiliation. They also highlighted the need to classify certain groups as Unlawful Organizations under relevant laws to address the root causes of the conflict.
Meitei civil society groups dispute the allegations against the Arambai Tenggol (AT), claiming it was a cultural youth organization forced to take up arms in defense of Meitei villages against attacks by Kuki militants disguised as “village volunteers.”
The ongoing conflict in Manipur has led to clashes between various tribal groups, resulting in casualties on both sides. The involvement of insurgent groups from Meitei and Kuki communities has further complicated the situation, with accusations of biased operations and communal violence.
Former Union Home Minister P Chidambaram’s role in signing agreements with insurgent groups has come under scrutiny, as the current crisis in Manipur is traced back to past decisions made by the Congress government. The need for a comprehensive and impartial approach to resolving the conflict in Manipur is crucial to achieving lasting peace and stability in the region.
10 Kuki-Zo MLAs from Manipur have condemned the state government’s cabinet resolution
New Delhi:
Ten Kuki-Zo MLAs from Manipur are urging the Centre and the state government to begin a political dialogue to establish lasting peace in the troubled region. This call comes just two days after the Manipur cabinet also expressed the same sentiment.
The 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs, who have been advocating for a separate administration to be formed in Manipur, released an eight-point statement on Wednesday. In this statement, they also denounced the attack on the homes of Meitei MLAs and ministers by unruly Meitei mobs.
While both the Manipur cabinet’s resolution and the statement from the 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs highlight the need for a high-powered committee to investigate the recent violence and tensions, they differ significantly on other crucial matters.
The Kuki-Zo MLAs emphasized the importance of the high-powered committee looking into the involvement of certain political parties and individuals with secessionist tendencies who may be exploiting the situation. They also raised concerns about the escalating violence and tensions, suggesting that it might be politically motivated to save the Chief Minister’s position.
These 10 MLAs have not attended any assembly sessions since May 2023 due to the ethnic clashes between the Meitei community and the Kuki tribes. The clashes stemmed from disagreements over land, resources, affirmative action policies, and political representation. They cited safety concerns and the lack of conducive conditions for a political dialogue as reasons for their absence from the sessions in Imphal.
The Kuki-Zo MLAs criticized the Manipur government’s resolution to conduct operations against what they refer to as “Kuki militants.” They called for a more comprehensive approach to recover illegal arms from all militia groups across the state. The MLAs also questioned the decision to hand over cases related to civilian deaths to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), suggesting a communal bias in the state’s actions.
In a recent incident, six members of a Meitei family were taken hostage by individuals now labeled as “Kuki militants.” Their bodies were later discovered in a river. The hostage-taking occurred on the same day when the CRPF allegedly killed 10 Kuki men in an encounter. While the police have labeled the deceased as militants, Kuki civil society groups consider them martyrs.
The Kuki-Zo MLAs called for a more balanced approach in addressing the violence in the state, urging a fair investigation into all civilian killings regardless of community affiliation. They also highlighted the need to classify certain groups as Unlawful Organizations under relevant laws to address the root causes of the conflict.
Meitei civil society groups dispute the allegations against the Arambai Tenggol (AT), claiming it was a cultural youth organization forced to take up arms in defense of Meitei villages against attacks by Kuki militants disguised as “village volunteers.”
The ongoing conflict in Manipur has led to clashes between various tribal groups, resulting in casualties on both sides. The involvement of insurgent groups from Meitei and Kuki communities has further complicated the situation, with accusations of biased operations and communal violence.
Former Union Home Minister P Chidambaram’s role in signing agreements with insurgent groups has come under scrutiny, as the current crisis in Manipur is traced back to past decisions made by the Congress government. The need for a comprehensive and impartial approach to resolving the conflict in Manipur is crucial to achieving lasting peace and stability in the region.
