Small Constitutional safeguard can end the crisis : Kuki CSO leader ‘Demand does not necessarily mean breaking Manipur’

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jul 9 : Even though Kuki armed groups started their movement for a political goal, granting a small Constitutional safeguard to the Kukis can easily bring the protracted violent crisis to an end, according to a key Kuki CSO leader.  This political demand does not necessarily mean breaking Manipur, he added.
Talking with The Sangai Express over telephone, the Kuki CSO leader said that Kuki armed groups and Kuki people started their movement for a political goal.
However, because of certain misunderstanding among the people, widespread violence broke out on May 3, 2023, he said.
It is a fact that the Kukis have placed a political demand but it does not necessarily mean breaking Manipur, he said.
The Kuki CSO leader said that the Kukis will not be able to survive without a Constitutional safeguard in the face of the alleged suppression by major communities.
Autonomous District Council had been granted but it is serving no purpose as no meaningful powers have been devolved to the council.  
If a Constitutional safeguard is granted to the Kukis or the entire hills, the ongoing crisis can be brought to an end easily, he said.
Before May 3, 2023, Kuki armed groups were demanding a territorial council but after May 3, 2023, the Kuki armed groups merged their demand with the Kuki people’s demand and the demand for a Separate Administration in the form of Union Territory with legislature was raised.
If the Government is of the view that the time is not right for granting the demand of Separate Administration, the Kuki people will not agree to withdrawing their movement unless a consolation in the form of a small Constitutional safeguard is granted, the Kuki CSO leader said.
As far as Sadar Hills is concerned, both Kuki armed groups and the common people work for a common goal, he claimed.
He went on to assert that it’s time to start dialogue among the communities toward restoring normalcy, peaceful co-existence and free movement in each other’s areas.
If there is no such initiative, all the communities will suffer more and more, he said.    
The Meitei-Kuki conflict which erupted on May 3, 2023 has subsided considerably. The Meitei-Kuki conflict is now almost over, the Kuki CSO leader said.
The conflict is largely between Kukis and Nagas now. The conflict is with Tangkhuls and Liangmais, not all Nagas, he claimed.
The Kuki CSO leader also said that it is not right for any community to take the side of another community when there is a triangular conflict involving three communities.
He expressed keen desire for the Meitei community to don the role of a mediator in order to bring the violent crisis to an end, restore peace and free movement.
“I am of the view that the present situation is conducive enough for the Meitei community to follow a policy of forgive and forget”, the Kuki CSO leader said.
No doubt, it will take a long time to heal the pain and sorrow of the families who have lost their dear and near ones. But it is essential for all the communities to forget what has happened.
It is the right time to pave a way of letting go of the bygones, he added.