A day after the central government constituted a peace committee headed by Manipur governor Anusuiya Uikey to restore amity among warring ethnic groups in the northeastern state, a prominent Kuki organisation on Sunday said normalcy should first be restored and security ensured for the community.
Heavy police force deployed after violence occurred in several areas of Manipur, on Sunday. (ANI)
Manipur has been roiled by ethnic clashes since May 3 between Meitei and Kuki communities that have claimed at least 105 lives, injured more than 300, displaced over 40,000 and damaged close to 2,000 houses.
While Kukis want peace, they can’t overlook attacks by Meitei groups that have burnt 160 Kuki-Zo villages till date, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF), a collective of Kuki groups in Churachandpur district, said in a statement on Sunday.
“ITLF strongly reiterates the need for normalcy to prevail before the constitution of any peace committee in the region,” the statement said, demanding the immediate imposition of President’s rule in the border state.
Besides Uikey, other members of the peace committee will include chief minister N Biren Singh, few Manipur ministers, members of parliament and MLAs, leaders from political parties, former civil servants, educationists, littérateurs, artists, social workers and representatives of different ethnic groups. The mandate of the committee is to facilitate peace among ethnic groups and initiate dialogue and negotiations.
“The committee should strengthen social cohesiveness, mutual understanding and facilitate cordial communication between various ethnic groups,” the central government said in a statement on Saturday.
The ITLF blamed the state machinery under Singh to be responsible for the start and escalation of violence. “ITLF strongly condemns the inclusion of CM N Biren Singh, the very perpetrator of the current violence, in the peace committee,” it said on Sunday.
No immediate reaction was available from the state government or the chief minister’s office to the statement by the Kuki collective.
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An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences.
Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More
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Home/India News/Kuki Group Reiterates Demand For Peace In Manipur, Condemns Including CM N Biren Singh In Panel
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