Ten Kuki-Zo-Hmar legislators in Manipur have called on the central government to outline a comprehensive political roadmap for peace and justice in the state, days after President’s Rule was imposed following the resignation of Chief Minister N Biren Singh on February 9. The ruling BJP was unable to name a successor, leading to the imposition of central rule.
The Centre’s decision, announced on Thursday, placed the state assembly in suspended animation. While Meitei organisations based in Imphal Valley have opposed the move, Kuki-Zo groups have welcomed it, calling it a long-overdue intervention.
“We, the 10 MLAs of Manipur, while acknowledging the Centre’s decision to place the assembly under suspended animation, express hope that the Government of India would lay out a comprehensive political roadmap for peace and justice under a negotiated settlement,” the legislators stated in a release accessed by Hindustan Times.
Manipur has been plagued by ethnic violence between the Meitei community, which forms a majority in Imphal Valley, and the Kuki-Zo-Hmar communities, which are predominant in several hill districts. The ongoing conflict, which began in May 2023, has resulted in at least 260 deaths and displaced around 60,000 people from both sides over the past 21 months.
The 10 legislators—including seven from the BJP, two from the Kuki People’s Alliance (KPA), and one Independent—have been advocating for a separate administration for regions in Manipur where Kuki-Zo-Hmar communities form the majority.
“We also look forward to time-bound measures to end the suffering of those affected by the conflict, especially the internally displaced people who continue to struggle,” the statement added.
Sources By Agenices
