The mother Manipur is too old that none should have to afford the faintest imagination of having a new baby, the 8th sister of the Northeast; this must be the semantic that can be interpreted when the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) says to the Kuki SoO Group that “the current policies (GoI) don’t support the creation of new Union Territories” during the talk held at New Delhi on the 6th and 7th of November.
The KNO and UPF delegations, currently under the SoO agreement, were led by senior leaders of the two umbrella groups, and the MHA was represented by A.K. Mishra, long-time Advisor of the Northeast. After the lapse of several months, the Government of India extended and signed the tripartite agreement on 4th September last. Apart from the core demand for a Union Territory with a Legislative Assembly, the talks also covered a wide range of issues concerning the tribal people.
The SoO group’s leaders, according to them, said to the GoI that Kuki-Zo inhabitant areas and Hills were never part of the State Durbar before Independence, and under British rule, the Kuki-Zo areas and other tribal areas were classified as “Excluded Areas” under the Government of India Act, 1935, administered directly by the British Political Agent, not by the Meitei king.
During the meeting, A.K. Mishra reiterated that whilst the Government of India is sensitive to the plight of the Kuki-Zo people, the current policy does not support the creation of new Union Territories. He also stressed the need for consultations with other communities in Manipur. The KNO/UPF delegation urged the Centre to reconsider its position in view of the fact that the Constitution is above Government policy. The delegation also pointed out that the ground zero situation in the state made coexistence impossible between the two communities, requiring the need to invoke necessary provisions of the Constitution to secure Kuki-Zo lives and property.
The talks also covered key community concerns, including issues of land, forests, customs, and development, along with mutual confidence-building measures to be pursued alongside the regular political dialogue.
The SoO leaders urged the MHA to take concrete steps to protect traditional tribal land rights and uphold the authority of chiefs, who traditionally manage land and customary matters in the hill areas. They also urged the government to remove administrative hurdles related to the succession of village chiefs after their demise and to simplify procedures for land registration and deed processing, which currently require travel to Imphal.
The severe problems faced by the IDPs were discussed at length with respect to their rehabilitation being expedited with essential security and amenities ensured by the government.
