Meitei, Kuki, Naga MLAs Meet in Delhi

New Delhi: Around 20 MLAs belonging to the warring Meitei and Kuki communities of Manipur met in the national capital on Tuesday for the first time since ethnic violence broke out in the northeastern state 17 months ago. BJP MP Sambit Patra and three MLAs from the Naga community also attended the meeting convened by the Union home ministry to find an amicable solution to the ongoing clashes and conflict that broke out on May 3 last year.

According to sources, the ministers, MLAs of the three communities -- Meitei, Kuki and Naga -- raised their viewpoints on the ethnic riots and put forward views and grievances of their respective communities. The MLAs also discussed the way forward, but nothing concrete could be achieved, however it was unanimously resolved to appeal to all the communities of Manipur to shun violence.

Invitations for the meeting to the MLAs belonging to the Meitei, Kuki and Naga communities were sent by ministry of home affairs appointed interlocutor A.K. Mishra, the sources said.

According to the sources, Manipur Assembly Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh, MLAs Tongbram Robindro and Th. Basantakumar Singh were among those from the Meitei side who attended the meeting, while Letpao Haokip and Nemcha Kipgen (both state ministers) were from the Kuki side participating in the over-two-hour-long meeting.

The Naga community was represented by MLAs Ram Muivah, Awangbow Newmai and L. Dikho.

Apart from these public representatives, the Union home ministry’s interlocutor and other senior officials were present at the meeting. However, Union home minister Amit Shah and Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh did not attend the meeting.

On Patra’s presence at the meeting, the source said that the BJP MP is the party’s coordinator for the Northeast and was instrumental in bringing the Manipur MLAs from the different communities to the national capital.

The sources also said that several rounds of meetings between the elected representatives, civil societies and other stakeholders will be held in the upcoming weeks to find out a lasting solution to the ethnic clashes in Manipur.

The crucial meeting came almost a month after Shah had said that the situation in Manipur requires dialogue between the Kukis and Meiteis and that the Centre is in discussion with both groups to restore peace in the state.

Earlier, on June 17, a statement from the ministry said Shah had underscored the importance of a coordinated approach to resolve the ongoing conflict in Manipur and added that the “MHA will talk to Meiteis and Kukis to bridge the ethnic divide at the earliest”.