Kuki-Zo civil society groups, MLAs won't engage with Centre; only groups in SoO pact to hold talks
A meeting between representatives of Kuki-Zo insurgent groups, civil society organisations and MLAs from the community was held in Guwahati on Friday, in which it was decided that future dialogue with the Centre on behalf of the community would only be carried out by the insurgent groups that were part of the 2008 Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement.
'The joint meeting of the MLAs, CSOs (civil society organisations) and SoO groups today at Guwahati resolved that until the resumption of substantive political dialogue by the Government of India with SoO groups, the CSOs and elected representatives shall no longer engage with the Government of India or its representatives,' a brief statement released after the meeting said.
One of the meeting attendees said this essentially means that the 'responsibility of dialogue' with the Centre on key issues concerning the community has been 'entrusted' to the SoO groups. The primary demand raised by different stakeholders of the community since the start of the conflict in Manipur has been a separate administration of Kuki-Zo-majority areas.
The SoO agreement was signed in 2008 between 25 Kuki-Zo insurgent groups, the Government of India and the state. As many as 17 of these groups come under the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) umbrella group, and eight come under the United People's Front (UPF).
Friday's meeting was attended by 25 delegates, including leaders of insurgent groups that were part of the SoO agreement. Also at the meeting were representatives from among the 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs, as well as influential civil society organisations Kuki Zo Council and Zomi Council.
On April 5, representatives of Meitei and Kuki-Zo civil society groups had met Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) officials together in New Delhi in what was the first such meeting between groups of both communities. A draft joint resolution had been presented to both communities at the time, but the meeting had ended without a resolution. Earlier this year, an MHA delegation had also met the groups separately in Manipur. There have also been attempts at talks through MLAs, including a meeting convened by the MHA last October with a set of Meitei, Kuki-Zo and Naga MLAs from the state.
After Friday's meeting, the attendee said, 'Let them (the Centre) start the dialogue with the SoO groups. What is the need for all these talks? There has been no firing for months. In the meeting with the CSOs, they tried to push a peace agreement and to make us agree to free movement. Instead of holding such meetings where representatives just go and return without any forward movement, start a political dialogue. The responsibility to lead these talks has been put on the SoO groups.'
Meitei politicians and civil society groups have been pushing for the abrogation of the SoO agreement. In February last year, in the absence of the 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs, the Manipur Legislative Assembly had 'unanimously' resolved to urge the Centre to abrogate the SoO pact signed with the Kuki-Zo insurgent groups in 2008.
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