Manipur violence: Centre sets up committee to facilitate peace-making process

The announcement comes amid the government's attempt to restore peace in strife-torn Manipur.

The central government has constituted a committee in violence-hit Manipur to facilitate the peace-making process among various conflicting ethnic groups, the ministry of home affairs said on Saturday. The peace committee, led by the Manipur governor, will constitute the chief minister, some ministers in the state government, MP, MLAs, leaders from across political parties, and eminent members of civil society, including artists and academics.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah meets people from the Kuki community at a relief camp, in Kangpokpi, Wednesday, May 31, 2023.(PTI)

The home ministry stressed that the committee should “strengthen social cohesiveness, mutual understanding and facilitate cordial communication between various ethnic groups.”

“Government of India has constituted Peace Committee in Manipur under the Chairpersonship of Governor, Manipur,” the ministry said in a statement.

“The members of committee include Chief Minister, a few Ministers in the State Government, MP, MLAs and leaders from different political parties. The Committee also includes former civil servants, educationists, litterateurs, artists, social workers and representatives of different ethnic groups,” it added.

The announcement comes days after Union home minister Amit Shah visited the restive state to take stock of the situation and assured the formation of a peace committee.

Ethnic clashes between the warring Kuki and Meitei communities first erupted on May 3 during a protest against a court-ordered tweak to the state’s reservation matrix, granting scheduled tribe (ST) status to the latter. Violence quickly engulfed the state where ethnic fault lines run deep, displacing tens of thousands of people who fled burning homes and neighbourhoods into jungles, often across state borders.

On June 4, the Union government formed a three-member judicial inquiry panel to probe the ethnic violence in Manipur on the recommendation of the state government. The Central Bureau of Investigation has also formed a 10-member special investigation team (SIT) under a DIG-rank officer to probe six cases related to the violence.