After Himanta Biswa Sarma made Kuki SoO groups withdraw road blockade, MHA to meet them from July 7

Amid continuing ethnic violence in Manipur for more than two months, Union Ministry of Home Affairs has convened a series of meetings starting from July 7  with the members of United People’s Front (UPF)—an umbrella organisation under Suspension of Operation (SoO)—and the Indigenous Tribal Leader’s Forum (ITLF), a body representing the interest of the tribal groups in the state. The reopening of the National Highway (NH) 2 is likely to be on the top of the agenda in these meetings. Both groups have serious disagreement over the issue. 

“Four persons led by Ketheos and Khenchin from SoO groups—Zomi Revolutionary Army (ZRA), Zomi Reunification Organisation(ZRO) and Hmar People’s Convention Democracy(HPC-D) have also been called by the Director of Intelligence Bureau. The government does not want any disagreement of opinion, which is why UPF and ITLF have been invited to Delhi,” says a source. 

Ginza Vualzong, the leader of the ITLF, has told India Today NE that there is a chance that the tribal body may present its political demand for an independent administration for Kukis in Manipur. ITLF Chairman Pagin Haokip, ITLF Secretary Muan Tombing, and ITLF Executive Member Thangzamang Hangsing will attend the meeting with the MHA.

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On July 2, a secret meeting was held in a Guwahati hotel on this issue of opening the NH2, which had been blocked by Kuki tribal groups, sources told India Today NE. The meeting was reportedly held at the initiative of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and was attended by representatives of SoO groups, Manipur government ministers and MLAs belonging to Kuki community and A K Mishra, MHA adviser (North East). Following this meeting, representatives of SoO groups  Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and UPF agreed to end blockade of NH-2. Members of the ZRA, ZRO and ITLF were also present in the meeting and they were against the opening of the NH2.

Interestingly, the very next day, unknown miscreants set on fire the home of Seilen Haokip, Spokesperson of KNO, at Churachandpur.

A press release sent by the UPF on July 3 stated that as the Centre had taken enough measures to protect the Kuki-Zo people, security forces had been sent to the buffer zones and they had started protecting the innocent civilians, with the hope of finding a solution for a separate administration, the blockade on the highway had been removed after consultation with the Kuki elected MLAs, ministers, SoO groups and the civil society organisations.