Manipur Violence: Kuki Members To Boycott Peace Meet Over CM Biren Singh’s Presence

Kuki representatives boycotted a peace committee in Manipur due to its inclusion of the chief minister and his loyalists. The center should provide a favorable environment for negotiations without asking for their approval. The MHA established a 51-person committee in Manipur to bring different ethnic groups to peace, including Mr. Singh. KIM president is unable to negotiate peace with the Manipur administration. J. Lhungdim claims that the center added his name to the panel without his consent. The panel also includes personalities like P. Doungel, Nemcha Kipge, Nando Luwang, and Ratan Thiyam.

Kuki Members Decide To Boycott Peace Meet Over CM Biren Singh’s Presence In The Meeting

Reps claim that they were not consulted regarding the inclusion of the CM, although other panel members claim that they aren’t requesting their permission before adding their names to the list.

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Kuki members chose to boycott the Center’s peace committee

A day after the Center established a peace committee in Manipur, the Kuki representatives declared they would boycott the group since it included the chief minister and his loyalists, N. Biren Singh. They urged that the Centre provide a favorable environment for negotiations, pointing out that they didn’t ask for their approval before adding them to the panel.

To simplify the process of bringing different ethnic groups to peace, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) established a committee in Manipur on June 10. The 51-person committee, which includes Mr. Singh, would be presided over by Governor Anusuiya Uikey.

They are added to the panel without consulation

Several people appointed to the panel stated, “They added without their knowledge or approval.”
Ajang Khongsai, president of Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), one of the attendees, stated he would be unable to sit down with the Manipur administration for peace negotiations.

“The COCOMI (Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity) panel comprises a civil society organization from Imphal that has sworn war on the Kukis. We want peace, but we can’t have talks with the Manipur administration at this crucial juncture if the violence persists,” Mr. Khongsai informed The News agency.

Idas (Indian Defence Accounts Service) veteran J. Lhungdim also claimed, “They added his name to the panel without his will.”

Members of the Peace Panel

P. Doungel, a former director general of police for Manipur, was on the panel. On June 1, he got promoted to special duty (OSD) at Home. Mr. Doungel, a Kuki who is retiring this month, has been sidelined since the State’s outbreak of ethnic violence on May 3.

The panel also includes Nemcha Kipgen, a tribal Minister from Manipur. She was unavailable for remark.

Nando Luwang, head of the All Manipur United Clubs Organisation (AMUCO) in Imphal, said he was not aware that Centre added his name to the panel but thought it was a good thing. “Will make a final choice regarding attending the discussion after talking it over with the other teammates,” he said.

The peace panel also included renowned theatrical artist Ratan Thiyam, who, on June 10, protested against the Center’s actions in Imphal. Mr. Thiyam questioned the silence of the Prime Minister during the Coordinating Committee on Cultural Fraternity demonstration as there was chaos in the State.

Manipur Violence So Far

Since May 3, over 100 individuals have died in the ethnic conflict between the Kuki and Meitei groups. Over 4,000 police guns have been stolen & looted, and that forces around 50,000 people to flee their homes.

MHA’s Peace Panel Aim

According to MHA, the committee’s mandate is to support efforts to bring peace among the State’s diverse ethnic groups through discussions and constructive conversation between opposing parties.