Meitei groups AMUCO and FOCS vow to pursue peace in Manipur after tripartite talks with MHA, prioritizing unity and stability amid ongoing ethnic unrest.
Imphal, April 7: Two Meitei community organisations, whose representatives took part in the April 5 tripartite meeting in New Delhi, on Monday, reaffirmed their commitment to uphold the will of the Manipur people in any future peace initiatives.
The six representatives of All Manipur United Clubs Organisation (AMUCO) and the Federation of Civil Society Organisations (FOCS) took part in the tripartite meeting, called by the Ministry of Home Affairs, in the national capital.
Addressing the media at the Manipur Press Club, AMUCO President Pheiroijam Nando Luwang described the recent meeting as a significant step towards crafting a roadmap for peace and coexistence within the state.
He emphasised that the discussions represent a crucial starting point in the pursuit of long-term stability in the region.
BM Yaima Shah, acting President of FOCS, echoed Luwang’s remarks, firmly stating that Manipur’s territorial integrity remains non-negotiable.
Both AMUCO and FOCS have pledged to continue their efforts for a peaceful and just resolution, standing firm in their resolve to protect Manipur’s unity and interests.
Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) Chairman Henlianthang Thanglet led an eight-member delegation of Kuki-Zo-Hmar communities in the meeting where MHA advisor for the northeast region, A.K. Mishra, and Joint Director, MHA, Rajesh Kamble, Manipur Chief Secretary Prashant Kumar Singh, Additional Director General of Manipur Police Ashutosh Kumar Sinha, among others, were present.
The leaders of both AMUCO and FOCS said that they would not go against the wishes of the Manipur people.
The Meitei organisations, including Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), an apex body of the Meitei Community, have been demanding steps against Kuki militants, dismantling of the militant camps and set-ups, curbing of the drug menace, action against infiltrators from Myanmar and introduction of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
The KZC and 10 tribal MLAs have been demanding a separate administration equivalent to a Union Territory for the Kuki-Zo-Hmar tribal-dominated areas.
In a bid to resolve the 23-month-long ethnic hostilities, the first tripartite meeting between the officials of the MHA and the representatives of Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities was held in New Delhi on April 5.
–IANS
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