Peace talks with Kuki, Meitei MLAs today
In a significant move by the Centre to restore peace in violence-stricken Manipur, Kuki, Meitei and Naga MLAs have been invited to participate in peace talks in New Delhi on October 15, facilitated by the Home Ministry. Senior Home Ministry officials are set to be present at the meeting, though it remains unconfirmed whether Home Minister Amit Shah will attend.
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh will not be part of the discussions, though he met with all MLAs scheduled to attend on October 13 in Imphal. Of the 10 Kuki MLAs, around six are expected to attend, sources reported.
The development comes just a month after Amit Shah indicated that the Centre was engaging with both the Kuki and Meitei communities to establish peace in the region, which has been ravaged by ethnic violence since May 2023. The talks will mark the first time that Meitei, Kuki and Naga legislators will interact under the supervision of the Centre, as tensions between the Kuki and Meitei groups have escalated the violence.
The focus of the talks is expected to be on finding a solution to the long-standing conflict and restoring peace. While some MLAs have already arrived in the capital for the meeting, many have been engaged in earlier discussions with Naga legislators in neutral locations such as Kolkata and Guwahati. Manipur Assembly Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata has also arrived for the meeting. Meanwhile, some of the MLAs and ministers, who are scheduled to participate in the meeting, had held parleys with CM Biren in Imphal on Sunday evening.
Over 200 people have died in the clashes between the Meitei and Kuki groups, with the state remaining deeply divided along ethnic lines. Meiteis largely occupy the valley districts, while the Kukis have relocated to the hill districts. In the current climate, Kuki MLAs avoid traveling directly to Imphal, opting to reach Aizawl in Mizoram before continuing to Manipur by road.
The Centre’s intervention seeks to address the growing divide and ongoing violence that has crippled the state’s peace and stability.
