Three major civil society organisations from conflict-hit Manipur have firmly conveyed to the Centre that the territorial integrity of the state must not be compromised under any circumstances.
The assertion was made during a meeting with officials from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) held on June 30 in New Delhi. The 19-member delegation included representatives from the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), All Manipur United Clubs Organisation (AMUCO), and the Federation of Civil Society (FOCS).
Speaking to the media, COCOMI Convenor Khuraijam Athouba said, “Any kind of solution to the ongoing conflict must respect the territorial boundaries of Manipur.”
He added that the delegation also raised concerns about unrestricted cross-border movement, the condition of internally displaced people, and the challenges faced by farmers in accessing peripheral agricultural lands.
Athouba further noted that the groups had agreed to continue discussions with the Centre to find a peaceful and lasting resolution within the framework of Manipur’s territorial integrity.
The ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, ongoing since May 2023, has claimed over 260 lives and displaced thousands. Amid the unrest, the Centre imposed President’s Rule in Manipur on February 13, following the resignation of Chief Minister N Biren Singh. The state assembly remains under suspended animation.
In a related development, the civil society groups held a follow-up meeting on Wednesday evening with Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, the DGP, and the state security advisor to discuss the Gwaltabi incident — where the name of the state was allegedly removed from a government bus during the Shirui Festival.
Athouba stated that an inquiry committee report on the incident has been submitted to the Governor and is expected to be made public soon.
He also revealed that authorities have begun preparations to resettle internally displaced persons (IDPs) at their original locations in phases, depending on ground assessments.
