'Let us forgive and forget the past': Manipur CM after first meeting with Kuki groups

Guwahati: Hours after his first meeting with Kuki Zo Council (KZC) for finding a solution to the Meitei-Kuki conflict since May 2023, Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Sunday urged all to "forgive and forget the past for a better future."

"The government’s move to hold talks with the Kuki Zo Council is the first step to remove the trust deficit that exist between the two communities in the state. It is also a step to bridge the gap between the two communities in an effort to bring peace. Our state is inhabited by 36 different communities and our state shall remain intact. And let us forgive and forget the past for a better future," Singh said while talking to reporters in Manipur capital Imphal.

The meeting was held in Guwahati (Assam capital) on Saturday evening as it could not be organised in the strife-torn state given the Meiteis and the Kukis still avoiding each other's areas fearing escalation of conflict.

Singh, a Meitei, who took oath on February 4 following nearly a year-long President's Rule, however, reacted sharply to the demand by the Kuki groups for a "separate administration" and maintaining the "buzzer zones." "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already announced that the Manipur’s territorial integrity will not be compromised. So there is no need to speak on an issue which has already been cleared by the Prime Minister."

Interestingly, N. Biren Singh, who had served as the Chief Minister before promulgation of the President's Rule in February last year, also made a similar call to "forget and forgive."

The new CM also sought to clarify that there is no "buffer zones" as stated by the Kuki groups but said that the government identified certain "sensitive areas." "It is a good beginning that the Kuki Zo Council is willing to hold talks after almost three years," Singh said.

Ice-breaker session:

KZC, which is holding talks with Centre, issued a statement on Sunday morning, in which it said that the interaction was "just an ice-breaker session" and ended without any decision or agreement.

It said during the meeting in Guwahati, which began at 7pm and lasted for one hour 45 minutes, the Council leaders stressed on maintaining "sanctity of the buffer zone" till a political settlement to the conflict is reached. It also stated that ensuring justice to the victims of the conflict was a prerequisite for "meaningful peace and reconciliation process."

The KZC said it called for expediting the process for a resolution with the Kuki armed groups in Suspension of Operations agreement. It also stressed on the need for de-escalating the ongoing tension between the Kukis and the Tangkhul Nagas.