New Delhi:A few days after the former Union Home SecretaryAjay Kumar Bhalla assumed charge as Manipur Governor, an eight-member delegation of the Kuki-Zo council landed in New Delhi on Wednesday to meet the home ministry officials.
The crucial meeting between the Kuki-Zo community is taking place against the backdrop of unabated violence in Manipur. Governor Bhalla also reached Delhi on Wednesday. During the day Bhalla met Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar. He is also likely to meet Home Minister Amit Shah.
"We have come to Delhi to meet home ministry officials and reiterate our demand for a separate administration for the Kuki-Zo community in Manipur. The eight representatives will meet the central government home officials tonight or tomorrow," Ginza Vualzong, a spokesperson of the council told ETV Bharat.
The council, a conglomeration of major Kuki-Zo community organisations in Manipur believes that a separate administration in the form of a Union Territory with a legislature could be the ultimate point to resolve the ongoing crisis. On January 7, the Kuki-Zo community leaders met Governor Bhalla, in Manipur’s Churachandpur district and stressed finding a solution to its demand for restoring peace.
This will be the first meeting between Kuki-Zo community leaders and home ministry officials in the national capital. Last year in October, the home ministry officials met sitting legislators from both the Kuki-Zo and Meetei communities. The home ministry after the October meeting appealed to both the communities to maintain peace and resolve their issues through talks.
The Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People’s Front’s (UPF), the two umbrella organisations of at least 25 armed groups representing Kuki Zo organisations, have also been demanding separation from the Manipur government run by the Meiteis. And the Kuki-Zo council endorse the stand taken by the KNO and UPF. Both the outfits signed a Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the Centre in 2008.
The Meetei community on the other hand opposed the creation of any new administration and demanded the Centre to withdraw the SoO with the Kuki National Organisation and United People’s Front.
“Creation of a separate administration in the form of a Union Territory with a legislature is the ultimate solution of this violence,” said Ginza. The violence between Kukis and Meeteis that broke out in May 2023 over the issue of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status became a national security issue following the alleged involvement of insurgent groups especially from across the border in Myanmar.
