Manipur Governor calls all-community meet days after groups rejected CM's offer for talks

Days after several groups belonging to both the Kuki and Meiteis rejected CM N Biren Singh's call for talks, Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey has decided to convene an all-community meeting at Raj Bhavan soon in order to find a solution to the long conflict.

The Governor informed about the plan for the all-community meet during her visit to a relief camp at Naorem Birahari College in the conflict-hit Imphal East district on Thursday. The Governor, however, did not mention the date of the meeting.

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Condemning all forms of violence, the Governor said violence will bring no solution and all have to shun violence. Stating that only a meaningful dialogue will bring an amicable solution, Uikey appealed to all the communities and stakeholders to come forward for talks and to co-operate with the government in bringing normalcy and peace in Manipur. "The state government with the help of the Centre is making all out efforts to bring the situation to normal where all the communities including the Meiteis and Kukis can live together as usual. The hatred between the two communities has to be removed and the two communities should stop violence which is the prerequisite for initiating a meaningful dialogue."

The Governor said more than 60,000 security personnel have been deployed in the state to stop the violence while search operations were underway to nab the miscreants involved in the violence that have continued for more than two months now. A large amount of arms have been recovered and bunkers have also been removed in many places, she said, adding that prefabricated houses are being built at Sawombung for temporary settlement of the displaced people till the situation permits them to go back to their homes.

The Manipur government recently informed the Supreme Court that 142 people have been killed due to the clashes between the Meitei and the Kuki community since May 4. The violence started following a "solidarity march" on May 3 opposing the move to offer ST status to the majority Meiteis. The violence displaced over 60,000 others.

Biren Singh's offer for talks

As the attacks and counter-attacks continued, CM N. Biren Singh appealed to groups representing both the Kukis and the Meiteis for talks. But several Kuki groups refused to take part in the dialogue saying Singh himself was part of the "plot to kill the Kukis."

They demanded Biren's removal and imposition of President's Rule in the state in order to pave the way for talks. Some organisations representing the Meiteis too said they would not take part in talks till the government abrogated the suspension of operation agreement with the Kuki insurgent groups and launched action against "illegal migrants" from Myanmar involved in narcotics trade.