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Around 20 MLAs belonging to the warring Meitei and Kuki communities of Manipur met in New Delhi on Tuesday for the first time since ethnic violence broke out in the northeastern state 17 months ago, in a bid to hammer out a peaceful solution to the ongoing conflict.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Sambit Patra and three MLAs from the Naga community were also present at the over-two-hour-long meeting convened by the ministry of home affairs (MHA) as part of its efforts to iron out differences between the Meiteis and Kukis, and find an amicable solution to the crisis.
However, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh did not attend the meeting, even though the Centre's interlocutor, A K Mishra, and other senior officials were present.
In a statement, the MHA said a group of elected members of the Manipur assembly, representing the Kuki-Zo-Hmar, Meitei and Naga communities, met to discuss the current scenario in the state.
"The meeting unanimously resolved to appeal to the people of the state belonging to all communities to shun the path of violence so that no more precious lives of innocent citizens are lost," the statement said.
This was the first time since May 3, 2023, that the Meitei and Kuki MLAs were in a same room. None of the 10 Kuki MLAs set foot in the Meitei-dominated Imphal valley and state capital Imphal in the last year and a half. They have also given all the assembly sessions held since then a miss.
Sources said both sides put forward the views and grievances of the two communities and their sufferings during the long turmoil.
The MLAs also discussed the way forward and how to go about in the coming days, but nothing concrete could be achieved, they added.
"It was a good beginning. We were not expecting a miracle at the first meeting but it is an achievement that we could bring MLAs of the two communities under the same roof. We hope that they will meet again in the near future so that a peaceful solution is found," a source privy to the deliberations said.
On Patra's presence at the meeting, the sources said he is the BJP's coordinator for the northeast and was instrumental in bringing the MLAs to the capital.
Efforts will be made for similar meetings of civil society groups of the Meitei and Kuki communities so that their differences could be bridged and peace restored in the state, the sources said.
Those who attended the meeting included state assembly speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh, Tongbram Robindro, Th Basantakumar Singh from the Meitei side and Kuki MLAs Letpao Haokip and Nemcha Kipgen (both state ministers).
The Naga community was represented by MLAs Ram Muivah, Awangbow Newmai and L Dikho, the sources said.
The deliberations came nearly a month after Shah said resolving the situation in Manipur requires dialogue between the Kukis and Meiteis, and that the Centre is in discussion with both the groups.
On June 17, a similar statement was given by the home minister when he reviewed the security situation in the northeastern state.
A statement from the ministry had said Shah had underscored the importance of a coordinated approach to resolve the ongoing conflict in Manipur and added that the "MHA will talk to both the groups, Meiteis and Kukis, so as to bridge the ethnic divide at the earliest".
All the Naga, Kuki and Meitei MLAs and ministers who attended the meet were invited by the MHA through letters and telephone calls, the sources said.
According to the wishes of the Kukis, the MLAs from the community had earlier pressed their demand for a separate administration or a Union Territory for tribals in Manipur.
Ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3 last year after a tribal solidarity march was taken out in the hill districts of the state to protest against the majority Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
Since then, more than 220 people, including members of both the Kuki and Meitei communities as well as security personnel, have been killed in the violence.