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Indian Express
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Meitei groups seek NRC, free movement for all at meet with MHA officials
A delegation of 19 representatives from three Manipur valley-based civil society organisations met with officials from the Union Home Ministry in Delhi Monday in continuation with previous rounds of talks with these groups. This was the first time that representatives of all three major groups – COCOMI, AMUCO and FOCS – representing Meitei interests met with MHA officials together in Delhi. The Home Ministry team the delegation met was led by the ministry's North East Advisor A K Mishra and IB Joint Director Rajesh Kamble. In a joint statement, they outlined key issues that they raised in the meeting. It stated that it 'reaffirmed its non-compromising stance on any initiative that could undermine the territorial integrity of the state,' a stance that is in opposition to the demand by Kuki-Zo groups for a 'separate administration' system for parts of the state where their community is in the majority. 'The delegation pressed for the urgent need to ensure free movement for all, emphasising that it is not only a fundamental right and a constitutional obligation of the government, but also the first essential step towards restoring peace in the state,' they said in their statement. Since the start of the conflict in May 2023, members of either conflicting community have largely not travelled in areas where the other community is in majority. The opening up of the state's highways by all communities has also been contentious with Kuki-Zo groups expressing hesitation to agree to this without discussion on their political demands. They emphasised two other long-standing demands. First, that a National Register of Citizens (NRC) be implemented in the state or a similar mechanism 'to address the issue of illegal immigration', which they have held to be the key reason for volatility in the region. The other is opposition to extension of Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreements with Kuki-Zo insurgent groups 'without a prior comprehensive and amicable understanding among all stakeholders within the state.' Last month, Kuki-Zo representatives had resolved that dialogues with the Government of India on behalf of the community would only be done by the SoO groups and talks are underway between these groups and the Union government on reviewing the ground rules of the SoO agreements. 'The MHA officials assured the delegation that the matters raised are being seriously considered and will be forwarded to the appropriate authorities for necessary action and approvals..,' the joint statement by the delegation said.
NDTV
30-06-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Manipur Civil Groups Hold Talks With Centre In Delhi. What They Said: 10 Points
New Delhi: A 19-member delegation of three top civil society organisations in Manipur met with Union Home Ministry officials in Delhi today and discussed a phased and time-bound roadmap for peace in the border state where ethnic clashes broke out in May 2023. Here's a 10-point update on the talks with the MHA In a joint statement after the meeting, the delegation said they conveyed their non-compromising stance on any initiative that could undermine the territorial integrity of Manipur. "This principle remains sacrosanct to every Manipuri," the joint statement said. The 19-member delegation comprised representatives from the civil society groups COCOMI, AMUCO, and FOCS, while the Home Ministry team included Adviser on Northeast Affairs AK Mishra, Intelligence Bureau Joint Director Rajesh Kamble, and other senior officers. "The delegation pressed for the urgent need to ensure free movement for all, emphasizing that it is not only a fundamental right and a constitutional obligation of the government, but also the first essential step toward restoring peace in the state," they said in the statement. The delegation asked the Centre to work out a phased and time-bound plan to resettle internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their homes, where they had been living before the outbreak of violence in May 2023. They reiterated their demand against extending the suspension of operations (SoO) agreement without a "prior comprehensive and amicable understanding among all stakeholders within the state." The SoO agreement was signed between Kuki insurgent groups and the Centre and the state. It broadly says the insurgents should stay at designated camps and keep their weapons in locked storage. They asked the Centre to begin the National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise or a similar mechanism in Manipur to address the issue of illegal immigration. Manipur is along India's border with Myanmar, large parts of which are unfenced. The delegation asked the Home Ministry to hold future meetings in Manipur's capital Imphal with all stakeholders including civil society organisations. "The delegation conveyed its willingness to participate in future meetings with all stakeholders, provided such initiatives serve the larger interest of restoring lasting peace and normalcy in the state," they said in the statement. On the incident of the word 'Manipur' covered on the windshield of state transport buses, the delegation said they reminded the Centre of looking into the long-pending enquiry report. They also drew the attention of the Home Ministry to attacks on farmers while working in their fields. "The MHA officials assured the delegation that the matters raised are being seriously considered and will be forwarded to the appropriate authorities for necessary action and approvals. Outcomes and follow-up developments are expected in the coming days," the delegation said in the statement. The Kuki tribes and the Meitei community have been fighting since May 2023 over a range of issues such as land rights and political representation. There are many villages of the Kuki tribes in the hills surrounding the Meitei-dominated valley. Over 260 have died and nearly 50,000 have been internally displaced.
Time of India
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Home ministry holds talks with Meitei groups to resolve the Manipur crisis
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel A fresh round of dialogue between the officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and members of a joint delegation of leading Meitei-based Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) was held in New Delhi on Monday to resolve the ethnic crisis in Manipur A 19-member delegation of three CSOs -- All Manipur United Clubs' Organisation (AMUCO), the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), and the Federation of Civil Society Organisations (FOCS) – held a discussion with four MHA officials led by A.K. Mishra, Advisor to the MHA on Northeast Director, MHA Rajesh Kamble, Sunil Kumar and Rahul P.R., both Superintendent of Police, IB, also attended the meeting, held in two coordinator Khuraijam Athouba said that the meeting discussed pressing issues affecting peace and stability in the state. Another COCOMI leader said that they urged the MHA to introduce the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Manipur to identify illegal immigrants and protect indigenous delegation conveyed the strong sentiments and demands of the people regarding May 20, the Gwaltabi issue , when some security personnel in Imphal East district reportedly instructed the media team to hide the 'Manipur State Transport Corporation' signage in front of the bus carrying 20 journalists and some Information Department officials. The CSOs also demanded adequate security for the farmers and to start the free movement of people across the CSOs reiterated their rejection of the legitimacy of militant outfits under the Suspension of Operation (SoO) and engaging with the innocent Chin-Kuki-Mizo-Zomi-Hmar civilians who are the genuine citizens of the state shall be handled accordingly after sorting out the anti-peace elements. United Peoples' Front (UPF) and Kuki National Organisation (KNO), which are conglomerates of 23 underground outfits, signed an SoO with the Central government on August 22, 2008, and then there are 2,266 Kuki cadres who have been staying in different designated camps in discussions between the MHA officials and three CSOs centred around restoring normalcy, ensuring public safety, and addressing long-standing grievances over the Centre's perceived inaction. Monday's engagement is seen as a renewed initiative to bridge differences through dialogue. It follows months of memoranda, protests, and appeals submitted by the civil society said that the MHA is also scheduled to hold a separate dialogue with Kuki armed groups under the Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement on July 4. The MHA officials earlier also held discussions separately with the Meitei CSOs and various organisations of the Kuki-Zo-Hmar tribal organisations.
NDTV
27-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Meitei Group COCOMI Meets Home Ministry, Asks To Act Against "Anti-Peace Elements"
New Delhi: A delegation of a Meitei civil society group from Manipur on Tuesday conveyed to the Centre its strong sentiments over a recent incident where the state's name written on the windshield of a bus was covered with a white paper. At a meeting held in Delhi, the delegation of the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) also conveyed to the two representatives of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) its unwavering commitment to peace and its willingness to cooperate in all genuine efforts to restore normalcy, a release issued by the COCOMI said. While the civil society group was represented by a seven-member team, the MHA was represented by AK Mishra, adviser to the MHA on northeast affairs, and Rajesh Kamble, MHA Joint Director. The delegation conveyed the strong sentiments and demands of the people regarding the Gwaltabi issue and the MHA officials assured that the matter has been noted for necessary governmental action, the release said. It was alleged that security forces had stopped a state-run bus, in which journalists were being taken by the government to cover the Shirui Lily Festival in Ukhrul district on May 20, near the Gwaltabi checkpost and forced the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) staffers to cover the state's name written on the windshield with a white paper. Over the last week, protests over the incident have been going on in the Meitei-dominant Imphal valley. "The COCOMI reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to peace and its willingness to cooperate in all genuine efforts to restore normalcy. It urged the government of India to take prompt and effective action against anti-peace elements that continue to undermine peace initiatives. Both sides agreed to maintain communication and continue dialogue in the future, with a shared goal of restoring peace and stability in Manipur at the earliest," the release said. The delegation highlighted several issues "requiring immediate attention and urgent intervention" from the government to alleviate the suffering of the civilian population, it said. These include, the COCOMI said, ensuring free movement of people, safeguarding farmers' right to cultivation along with appropriate compensation for their losses, protection of sacred religious sites, justice for missing persons, and the resettlement and redressal of grievances of internally displaced persons. The COCOMI rejected the "legitimacy of SoO groups", referring to the suspension of operations (SoO) agreement. It said engaging with civilians and genuine citizens from the Chin, Kuki, Mizo, Zomi, and Hmar tribes should be done after sorting out the anti-peace elements, the statement said. The group expressed deep concern over the "growing threats posed by narco-terrorism", cross border illegal immigration, widespread illegal opium cultivation, rampant forest encroachment, and the deteriorating law and order situation. The COCOMI delegation said it "highlighted that proceeds from these illicit activities are being used to fund armed groups led by foreign-based individuals." "Alarmingly, these groups have been in political dialogue with the government of India since 2008 and continue to receive financial support and shelter under the banner of the peace process. COCOMI appealed to the government of India to urgently review its engagement with these groups," it said. Over 260 people have been killed and 50,000 have been internally displaced since Meitei-Kuki ethnic violence broke out in May 2023. Meitei groups maintain the territorial integrity of the state is non-negotiable in any peace process, while the Kuki tribes say they want a separate administration.
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
COCOMI team holds talks on bus row with MHA officials
Guwahati: The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) and senior officials from the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) held a meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday. During the meeting, the seven-member COCOMI delegation conveyed strong sentiments regarding the deletion of the state's name, 'Manipur', from a bus carrying journalists to Ukhrul district in Manipur. The Manipur home department recently ordered the formation of a committee to examine the facts and circumstances involving security personnel and the Manipur State Road Transport Bus carrying media persons to cover the Shirui Lily Festival on May 20 near the Gwaltabi checkpoint in Imphal East district. After the meeting with MHA officials, COCOMI, in a press statement, said, "The delegation conveyed the strong sentiments and demands of the people regarding the Gwaltabi issue. The MHA officials assured that the matter was noted for necessary governmental action." The MHA was represented by AK Mishra, advisor to the MHA on Northeast affairs, and Rajesh Kamble, joint director, MHA. The COCOMI delegation was led by its convener, Khuraijam Athouba. The COCOMI delegation also highlighted several critical issues requiring immediate attention and urgent intervention from the govt to alleviate the suffering of the civilian population. These include ensuring the free movement of people, safeguarding farmers' right to cultivation along with appropriate compensation for their losses, protection of sacred religious sites, justice for missing persons, and the resettlement and redressal of grievances of internally displaced persons (IDPs). The two-hour-long meeting focused on key concerns surrounding the ongoing crisis in Manipur. "Both sides agreed to maintain communication and continue dialogue in the future, with a shared goal of restoring peace and stability in Manipur at the earliest," stated the COCOMI release.
