Metei group on Tuesday refused to join peace talks amid protest by Kukis against Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh.
According to the reports, soons after Kuki groups expressed unhappiness at Singh being included in a committee set up by the Centre to facilitate the peace-making process among various ethnic groups of the strife-torn state, one of the major Meitei civil society groups, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), has vehemently rejected the appointment of its convenor, Jeetendra Ningomba, as a member.
The NDTV report said the Meitei group has denied being part of the peace committee, saying peace cannot be achieved without withdrawing Suspension of Operations (SOO) with insurgents, and issues of "narco-terrorism" and illegal immigration are effectively addressed.
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The State Level Peace Committee, formed on June 10, is headed by Governor Anusuiya Uikey and consists of 51 key stakeholders such as Chief Minister N Biren Singh, MPs, ministers, MLAs, and other stakeholders.
"We are dissatisfied with the Peace Committee's composition, from COCOMI we have rejected this committee since the sentiments in the valley region is very high against the militants groups, and we had demanded the government that first they should withdraw suspension of operations with the militants and peace cannot be achieved in
Manipur unless the pressing issues of narco-terrorism and illegal immigration are effectively addressed, but the government did not do anything. We work with the people and people want action against militants, until that is done we reject this peace committee," the report Ningomba as having said.
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The top Kuki body, Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), in a statement has made a similar claim, saying its president has been included in the list of members "without prior and proper consultation and information".
"Kuki Inpi Manipur senses no rationale to pursue peace solely with individuals who have engineered the violence against its people... Peace must be the result of the concerted efforts of the Union Home Ministry and the affected communities. It cannot be a condition to impose normalcy," the KIM said, as per the report.
The Committee has 25 representatives from the Meitei community, 11 from the Kuki community and 10 from the Naga community which has Governor Anusuiya Uikey as the Chairperson, it said. It added three from the Muslim and two from the Nepali community are also included in the Committee.
At least 100 people lost their lives and 310 others were injured in the ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki community people in Manipur that broke out a month ago.
Army and paramilitary personnel were deployed to restore peace in the state.
Curfew remains in force in 11 of the 16 districts of Manipur, while internet services are suspended in the entire northeastern state.
Clashes first broke out on May 3 after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
