As Home Minister Amit Shah heads for Manipur to meet the representatives of the two warring communities — with Meiteis urging that the state should not be divided and the Kukis asking for a separate administration for the hill region within the state, the focus of the entire country is on this strife-torn state and will the Home Minister Shah’s meeting bring about a lasting solution?
The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), the apex body of the Meitei community, urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday not to divide Manipur and to introduce the National Register of Citizens (NRC). This was done a day before the tribal leaders met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi to press for their demand for the creation of a separate state for tribals. They submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister’s Office highlighting the demands in a mass rally that took place on July 29 in Imphal.
In addition, the COCOMI wants the current ethnic conflict, foreign (illegal immigrants), and Chin-Kuki “narco-terrorism” eliminated.
COCOMI coordinator Jeetendra Ningomba claimed via a video message that the foreign elements, including some of the leaders of the Kuki-Zomi outfits with which Suspension of Operation pacts were signed, are directly involved in the Manipur conflict and said that they should either be eliminated or driven out of India’s territory. This was done after the COCOMI memo was submitted to the PMO.
“With 1951 as the basis year, the NRC must be implemented in the state to detect unlawful immigration. In order to accomplish what is known as a Kuki-Zomi nation (Zalengam), which consists of areas from three countries, it is necessary to deny illegal immigrants the right to citizenship, though they may still remain as guests if necessary. This is done without engaging in destructive politics by fabricating history, flooding the media, and soliciting support from left-leaning liberals, the memo said.
On the other hand, the four members of the Indigenous Tribal Leader’s Forum (ITLF) have already reached the Manipur capital from Aizawl today for a meeting with the Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday about the five demands that have been put forward through the Assam Rifles.
Muan Tombing, secretary ITLF, Ginza Vualzong, spokesperson of ITLF, Thangzamang Hangsing, executive member ITLF and Leptu Hackip, executive members of ITLF are part of the four-member delegation that will meet the Home Minister.
Speaking to The Statesman, Muan Tombing, Secretary ITLF said, “We want a separate administration for the hilly region. This means a separate chief secretary and other functionaries for the hilly region. We have submitted a five-point charter of demand to the Home Minister through the Assam Rifles. The meeting is in that regard only.”
In a five-point charter of demand, the Indigenous Tribal Leader’s Forum said that the burial site in S. Boljang of Churachandpur should be legalized. And there should be separate security forces for the areas where the Kuki-zo community is living. Also, as per the demands of the ITLF, the 35 bodies kept in Imphal Hospital for burial should be brought to Lamka, Churachandpur. And the final demand of the ITLF is that there should be a separate administration for the Manipur hill area.