Peace for a solution or a solution for peace? Questions in Manipur Governor's meeting with Kuki groups

Ajay Kumar Bhalla, who took oath as Manipur Governor on December 24, met the leaders of Kuki Zo Council for the first time in the office of Deputy Commissioner, Churachandpur, a Kuki-dominated district.

Guwahati: Maintain peace first for finding a solution — this was the straight message from the newly appointed Governor of conflict-torn Manipur, Ajay Kumar Bhalla, to representatives of the Kuki-Zo organisations during a meeting on Tuesday.

The Kuki-Zo organisations, on the other hand, told the Governor that peace would come only after a solution while stressing their demand for a "separate administration" in the form of a Union Territory with a legislature for ending the cycle of violence that have roiled the state since May 2023.

Bhalla, who took oath as Manipur Governor on December 24, met the leaders of Kuki Zo Council for the first time in the office of Deputy Commissioner, Churachandpur, a Kuki-dominated district.

"The Governor insisted that peace must come first and then solution. Whereas, the Council strongly asserted that political talk should be expedited with the groups which are in suspension of operations agreement with the government and a separate administration in the form of a union territory with a legislature for the Kuki-Zo people be granted under Article 239 (A) of the Indian Constitution for peace to prevail," Kuki Zo Council, a forum of major Kuki-Zo organisations in Manipur, said in a statement.

The Meitei-dominated Valley and the Kuki-dominated hill districts have remained physically divided with the central forces manning the "buffer zones" in between, since the Meitei-Kuki conflict began in May 2023. More than 250 people have been killed while over 60,000 others have been displaced. Sporadic incidents of violence have still kept the state on the boil despite presence of thousands of central security forces including the Army.

In a memorandum submitted to the Governor on Tuesday, the council said that the minority Kuki-Zo community will no longer be able to live a safe and dignified life in Manipur. "Now that the hills and the valley have been divided, the only thing left now is separation in the administration. Only after the separation is complete, there will be peace."

The council on Tuesday further demanded that Meiteis must respect the "buffer zones" stating that most of the recent violence was due to "breach of the buffer zones."

"When the Meiteis attack the Kuki-Zo people, we are forced to defend our territory by retaliating," the council stated.

It also demanded demarcation of the police jurisdiction of the Kuki-dominated districts and the need for deployment of "neutral" security forces. "For instance, the Churachandpur district contains areas under the jurisdiction of Bishnupur (Meitei-dominated) police. Confusion and conflict are going to happen unless this is fixed," the council said.

The Meitei organisations, however, are strongly opposed to the demand of the Kuki-Zo Council.