A group of elected members from the Manipur Assembly, representing the Kuki-Zo-Hmar, Meitei, and Naga communities, met in the national capital on Tuesday to discuss the current situation in the state.

In a significant move to address the ongoing ethnic strife in Manipur, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had scheduled the meeting, bringing together MLAs from the Meitei, Naga, and Kuki-Zo communities.

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This meeting marked a pivotal moment, being the first of its kind organised by the MHA since the outbreak of violence in Manipur over 17 months ago. The ethnic conflict, which erupted in Manipur on May 3, 2023, was triggered by a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ in response to the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

“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 Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement issued after the meeting.

The move marks the first direct discussions between Kuki, Meitei, and Naga representatives, highlighting the Centre’s commitment to facilitating dialogue between the fractured communities.

The talks, organised by the Ministry of Home Affairs, were held in the national capital in the presence of senior officials of the ministry and MLAs and ministers representing the Kuki-Zo-Hmar, Meitei, and Naga communities.

The meeting lasted for almost three hours, focusing on discussions aimed at finding solutions to the ongoing crisis and restoring peace in the region.

According to sources, the participating Meitei MLAs and ministers included Thongam Biswajit, Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata, Thounaojam Basantakumar, Khongbantabam Ibomcha, Dr Sapam Ranjan, Thokchom Radhe-shyam, and Tongbram Robindro.

The Kuki community was represented by Letpao Haokip, Paolienlal Haokip, Haokholet Kipgen, and others. Naga MLAs and ministers participating in the talks included Awangbow Newmai, L Dikho, and Ram Muivah, the sources added.