Amit Shah meets Manipur CM, Meitei and Kuki leaders to restore peace in State

The series of meetings were held on Sunday and Monday

Manipur CM N Biren Singh speaks with the media about his meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah over recent violence in Manipur, in Imphal, on May 15, 2023. | Photo Credit: PTI

More than 10 days after violence singed Manipur claiming more than 70 lives and with parts of State still under curfew, Home Minister Amit Shah held a series of meetings with Chief Minister N Biren Singh and representatives of the Meitei and Kuki communities on May 14 and May 15.

A statement by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on May 15 said that Mr. Shah reviewed the measures taken for restoring peace in Manipur that has “witnessed violent clashes between two ethnic communities.”

Ten Members of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the hills belonging to the Chin-Kuki-Mizo-Zomi-Hmar tribe, which includes Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) members, reiterated their demand for a separate administration by submitting a representation to Mr. Shah.

The members told Mr. Shah, “There are no tribals left in the Imphal valley and there are no Meiteis left in the hills. Government of Manipur and its police machinery were communalised and used in the pogrom against the Kuki tribals.” 

“Our people have lost faith in the Manipur Government and can no longer imagine resettling in the Valley where their lives are no longer safe. The need now is a formalisation of the separation through the setting up of a separation of administration for the hills inhabited by our people. We cannot live together anymore. The only logical way forward is to live separately,” the representation by the Kuki MLAs said. 

A senior Kuki leader who met Mr. Shah said since it was the first meeting since the violence erupted on May 3, their demand for separate administration were neither rejected nor accepted.

“We have been given certain assurances but only time will tell if they are implemented,” the Kuki leader said.  

The Home Minister held a meeting with CM N Biren Singh, four of his Cabinet colleagues and Rajya Sabha member Leishemba Sanajaoba on Sunday. Later, he also met the representatives of the Meitei community on Sunday. He met the representatives of the Kuki Community from Manipur and a group of civil society organisations from Mizoram on Monday.

Home Minister directs action

He directed strict action against the perpetrators of violence and assured complete support and help of the central government for ensuring lasting peace.

The Minister assured the representatives that the government would take all measures to protect various communities in the State. He urged discussion with all factions and spread the message of peace and assured that justice would be done and stressed on expediting process of relief and rehabilitation so as to minimise the suffering of the people

The representation by the Kuki MLAs said that Kuki colonies and houses were marked and attacked with precision in Imphal city and the survey and mapping was done a couple of years earlier by the Meitei groups- Arambai Tenggol and Meetei Leepun.

Violence and arson broke in Manipur after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ on May 3 called by the All Tribal Students’ Union of Manipur to oppose the demand for inclusion of the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe category.