HT Digital
IMPHAL: Kuki leaders in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district have laid out three non-negotiable preconditions for a cessation of hostilities ahead of the crucial April 5 meeting between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities, convened by the Union Home Ministry.
According to Kuki Zo Council (KZC) chairman Henlianthang Thanglet, these conditions were finalized during a consultation meeting organized by the Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU) in Kangpokpi on Tuesday.
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The first precondition demands strict restrictions on the movement of Meitei individuals in Kuki-Zo-dominated areas and vice versa. The second condition calls for a minimum six-month halt in hostilities to create a conducive environment for negotiations. The third requirement insists that a structured and meaningful dialogue process must be initiated during the ceasefire period to ensure that peace talks have a clear direction.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has scheduled a high-stakes meeting between representatives of the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities in New Delhi on April 5. This meeting is seen as a significant effort by the government to restore peace in Manipur, which has been plagued by ethnic violence.
Tensions between the two communities have remained high despite ongoing efforts for reconciliation. On March 8, the Kuki-Zo-Chin community openly defied Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s directive for free road movement in Manipur by blocking security forces attempting to escort a bus along the Imphal-Senapati route.
Since May 2023, more than 250 people have lost their lives, and thousands have been rendered homeless due to the violent clashes between the Imphal Valley-based Meitei majority and the Kuki-Zo tribal communities living in the surrounding hills. The persistent violence and unrest led the Centre to impose President’s Rule in Manipur on February 13, following the resignation of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh.
