Crucial Peace Talks Crumble: Meitei-Kuki-Zo Leaders’ Dialogue Fails to Bridge the Divide in Guwahati
Representatives from the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, locked in a bitter conflict in Manipur, met in New Delhi on Saturday in a bid to resolve their differences. The talks, facilitated by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, marked a significant step towards peace, but the outcome remained inconclusive.
According to sources, the Meitei delegation, comprising six members from the All Manipur United Clubs’ Organisation (AMUCO) and the Federation of Civil Society Organisations (FOCS), pressed their stance against the division of the state. The Kuki-Zo delegation, comprising seven members from various tribal organizations, reiterated their demand for separate administration within Manipur. While both sides showed willingness to continue dialogue, they did not budge on their fundamental positions.
The meeting, attended by Ministry of Home Affairs advisor and interlocutor AK Mishra, senior officials from the MHA, and Manipur Chief Secretary Prashant Kumar Singh, aimed to establish a lasting resolution to the crisis in Manipur. The conflict, which began in May 2023, has claimed over 250 lives and displaced over 50,000 persons, many of whom remain in relief camps.
The Kuki-Zo Council has, however, remained silent on the meeting, while the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has criticized the exercise, calling it a “stage-managed spectacle.” COCOMI leaders claim that the meeting was designed to validate a misleading narrative advanced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Parliament, which portrays the conflict as an “ethnic conflict” between Meitei and Kuki communities.
COCOMI, in a statement, accused the government of ignoring the “far more dangerous and deep-rooted realities” of the crisis, including the ongoing proxy war facilitated by the Government of India. The group claimed that the government has been nurturing Chin-Kuki narco-terrorist mercenary forces since 2005 under the guise of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) Agreement.
Manipur has been under President’s Rule since February 13, following the resignation of Chief Minister N Biren Singh, after which the state assembly was suspended. The crisis has gripped the state, and any attempt to resolve it through peaceful means is seen as a positive step towards restoring peace.
While the recent meeting may not have resulted in a conclusive agreement, it represents a vital step towards building trust between the warring communities. The fact that both sides have shown willingness to continue dialogue is a positive indicator, and efforts to prioritize community trust building and rehabilitation of internally displaced persons must continue. Another round of meetings is likely soon, and it is crucial that both sides approach these talks with an open mind and a commitment to finding a lasting solution.
Original Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/meitei-kuki-zo-leaders-peace-talk-fails-to-break-deadlock/articleshow/120023939.cms
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Publish Date: 2025-04-06 00:11:00
