Manipur civil society groups' delegation holds meeting with MHA officials in Delhi

Imphal, Jun 30 (PTI) A delegation of Manipur civil society groups, which held talks with central government officials in Delhi, on Monday said the team has called for a “time-bound roadmap to address the crisis" in the northeastern state and "find lasting solutions".
    A joint statement issued by the Coordinating Committee (COCOMI), All Manipur United Clubs Organisation (AMUCO) and Federation of Civil Society (FOCS) said “the meeting commenced at 11:30 am and continued for over three-and-a-half hours, and included a 19-member delegation”.
    "The delegation engaged in an in-depth dialogue with Mr A K Mishra, Advisor (Northeast), Mr Rajesh Kamble, Joint Director, Intelligence Bureau, and other senior officials from the MHA," it said.
    During the meeting, the delegation called for a “phased and time-bound roadmap to address the crisis and find lasting and sustainable solutions”.
    "The team unequivocally reaffirmed its non-compromising stance on any initiative that could undermine the territorial integrity of the state. This principle remains sacrosanct to every Manipuri," the joint statement said.
    Pressing for urgent need to ensure free movement for all, the delegation also sought “a phased and time-bound plan for the resettlement of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their original places of habitation with a target for completion within this year”.
    Reiterating the need for implementation of National Register of Citizens (NRC) or a similar mechanism to effectively address the issue of illegal immigration, the team said it was not in favour of extending the SoO agreement.
    The SoO pact is a tripartite agreement between the Manipur government, the Centre and Kuki militants. Manipur, however, decided to pull out from the pact in March 2023.
    The delegation also conveyed its willingness to participate in future meetings with all stakeholders, provided such initiatives serve the larger interest of restoring lasting peace and normalcy in the state, the statement said.
    The civil society groups demanded immediate attention to the long-pending inquiry report over the incident in Gwaltabi in which Manipur’s name was allegedly forced to be erased from a government bus.
    A memorandum regarding urgent concerns over farmers' security and safety was also submitted to MHA officials, who assured the delegation that the matters raised were being seriously considered, and will be forwarded to the appropriate authorities, the statement added.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)