Manipur CM Holds Talks With Kuki-Zo Council In Guwahati
About the demand of Separate Administration, the chief minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already announced that Manipur's Territorial Integrity will not be compromised. He maintained that he does not need to speak on an issue which has already been cleared by the Prime Minister
Guwahati: A day after his meeting with leaders of Kuki-Zo council in Guwahati, Manipur chief minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh said that his government’s talks with the Kuki Zo Council is the first step to remove the trust deficit that exist between the two communities in the state.
Mr Singh told reporters in Imphal that it is also a step to bridge the gap between the two communities in an effort to bring peace.
Pointing out that there is no buffer zone in the state, the chief minister clarified that the government has identified certain sensitive areas. Stressing the need of restoring communication and harmony among the ethnic groups, the chief minister said that 36 different communities constitute the state. “And let us forgive and forget the past for a better future,” said the chief minister asserted, “It is a good beginning that the Kuki Zo Council is willing to hold talks after almost three years.”
About the demand of Separate Administration, the chief minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already announced that Manipur's Territorial Integrity will not be compromised. He maintained that he does not need to speak on an issue which has already been cleared by the Prime Minister.
To a question on the movement of people on NH2 (Imphal-Kohima Road), Mr Singh said that the people are already travelling on the highway, but in lesser numbers. He said that there is still fear on people’s minds when travelling on the highway because of the trust deficit between the two communities. “This is the reason why I said that removing the trust deficit is my priority,” he added. He however claimed that there is significant improvement in the law and order situation along the Imphal-Ukhrul Road.
The Kuki Zo Council, on the other hand, said that its delegation raised several key issues during the meeting in Guwahati on Saturday, all of which were attentively heard by the chief minister.
"Prominent among these (issues raised) were the urgent need to de-escalate the ongoing tensions between the Kuki and Tangkhul communities, and the imperative of ensuring justice for the victims of the conflict as a fundamental prerequisite for any meaningful peace and reconciliation process," it said.
The delegation also emphasised the importance of maintaining the sanctity of the buffer zone until a political settlement is reached and stressed the need to expedite a resolution to the ongoing Suspension of Operations talks to ensure durable and lasting peace in the region, the KZC statement said.
The Manipur chief minister had invited the Kuki-Zo council for talks. Though, chief minister wanted to hold this meeting in Imphal but the council proposed talks at a neutral place so the meeting held in Guwahati.