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No knowledge of ‘peace talks’ mentioned by CM, say Kuki bodies
On Wednesday, during a media interaction in Imphal, CM Singh had stated that talks between the two communities – Kuki and Meitei, who are directly involved in the ongoing Manipur crisis – have already started
Manipur: The Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), an apex body of tribal Kukis, said on Thursday that they have no knowledge of any ‘peace talk’ between the Kuki-Zo people and Meitei, as mentioned by chief minister N Biren Singh.
On Wednesday, during a media interaction in Imphal, CM Singh had stated that talks between the two communities – Kuki and Meitei, who are directly involved in the ongoing Manipur crisis – have already started, and peace has begun to return to the state.
He had asserted that the Manipur government is continuing its efforts to bring back peace to the state under the supervision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah.
He, however, did not give details of the talks or its progress.
KIM in a press statement on Thursday said Kuki Inpi will remain committed to its resolve for a political boycott of the Manipur government alleging for orchestrating and perpetrating the persecution against the Kuki-Zo people.
It said that the Kuki-Zo people, who have been victims of the alleged state-sponsored ethnic cleansing campaign of the Manipur state government, “cannot negotiate with our oppressors for justice and equality for our people”.
“A demand for Union Territory with the legislature for the Kuki-Zo people have long been forwarded to the Government of India for constitutional course of action and the Kuki-Zo people are only resolute to commit to the same until fulfilment”.
“Any supposed peace talk or political negotiations, without the knowledge of the Kuki Inpi and its constituent organisations, is only illusionary. The Kuki Inpi and its constituent organisations are the only legitimate bodies to manoeuvre a way forward for the Kuki-Zo people,” it added.
The Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO), a student body of the Kuki community, has urged the chief minister to disclose the precise details of the talks between the Kuki and Meitei regarding the Manipur crisis and the restoration of peace.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the student body noted that on Wednesday, Biren stated, “Talks between the two communities—Kuki and Meitei—involved in the ongoing ethnic conflict have already started, and peace has begun to return to the state.”
The KSO said, “The CM should disclose the precise details regarding the organisation or individual involved in the peace negotiation. If it’s real, we seek transparency and accountability from the CM regarding these negotiations, emphasizing the importance of truthfulness in revealing this information.”
The students’ body claimed it was unaware of any peace talks involving the CM or any valley-based civil society organisation (CSO) and alleged that the CM has once again performed media stunts to save face with the Centre and the public in general.
Also Read: Manipur: Tribes body calls for 12-hour shutdown in Kuki dominated areas
The KSO clarified that, to date, no formal invitation from any government agencies regarding peace talks has been received. It emphasized that the CM cannot assert such negotiations without the involvement and presence of the central government and the knowledge of Kukis.
It further stated that the narrative of “ethnic conflict” is misused as it conceals the government’s misdeeds. “The ongoing crisis is not ethnic; rather, it’s a conflict against the Manipur government, which used its own radical groups to occlude and choke up the emotional and rational discontentment of the Kuki people, which later inevitably demanded a separate administration to safeguard their own existence,” it added.
Meanwhile, the Kuki Village Volunteers, group of Kuki village volunteers, in a statement on Wednesday, summoned all the individuals or organisations that took part in the said “peace talk” and directed them to issue an apology to all stakeholders, including CSOs and Kuki Village Volunteers, within 48 hours.
The group said they would not tolerate any individual or group who took part in any talks without consultation with the CSOs, including the KIM, the KSO, and the Kuki Women’s Organisation for Human Rights, among others.
It warned that anyone found against the warning would face penalties, including social boycotts and other stringent measures.
Manipur has been witnessing violent ethnic conflict between the two communities – Kuki and Meitei – since May 3, 2023, in which at least 220 people have been killed and over 50,000 people displaced.
