Almost 26 months or 790 days after the violent conflict that erupted on May 3, 2023 in Churachandpur and its bordering areas of Bishnupur district where Kuki-Zomi militants attacked Meitei civilians, the three leading Meitei-led civil societies group of Manipur together for the first time met the officials of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on June 30, 2025 in Delhi.
Earlier, the MHA officials on April5, 2025 held a meeting after the violent conflict broke out with representatives of All Manipur United Clubs’ Organisation (AMUCO) and Federation of Civil Society Organisations (FOCS) from the Meiteis while the Kuki-Zomi side included members from the Kuki-Zo Council, Kuki Inpi Manipur, Zomi Council, United Zou Organisation, and Hmar Inpi. The meeting was inconclusive as the Kuki-Zomis refused to sign the points discussed in the meeting.
A second round followed on May 27, when the MHA held separate meetings with the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) and FOCS. AMUCO did not attend. That meeting too ended inconclusively.
The violent conflict has left more than 61,000 homeless, at least 270 people dead, 32 persons still untraceable, thousands of houses destroyed and burned down to ashes, villages and residential areas were bull-dozed and wiped out.
The violent conflict has led to an internal partition of Manipur, severing physical contact between the Meitei and Kuki-Zomi communities. The Meiteis are not allowed to cross the “buffer zones” and move on National Highways, and confined in the Central Valley for more than two years; and Kuki-Zomis remain unable to enter the Central Valley and access even the Imphal Airport.
Significantly, a 19-member delegation from the All Manipur United Clubs’ Organisation (AMUCO), Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), and Federation of Civil Society Organisations (FOCS) met the MHA officials in Delhi to resolve the violent conflict. The Home Ministry team the Manipur civil societies’ delegation met was led by the MHA’s North East Advisor A K Mishra, Intelligence Bureau (IB) Joint Director Rajesh Kamble and other senior officers.
Though the primary agenda of the meeting was restoration of peace in the State, the delegation raised the issues of the Internally Displaced People (IDP), exercise of the NRC, identification of immigrants, ensuring free movement on National Highways, the plight of farmers and the Gwaltabi incident among others in the meeting with the MHA team.
In a joint statement issued by the Collective of Civil Society Organizations-Manipur representing AMUCO, COCOMI and FOCS on June 30, 2025 after meeting with the MHA team, they outlined urgent and key issues that they raised in the meeting.
“The delegation 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 statement said.
“The delegation pressed for the urgent need to ensure free movement for all, emphasising that it is not only a fundamental right and a constitutional obligation of the government, but also the first essential step towards restoring peace in the State,” the Manipur civil societies’ delegation said in their statement.
It may be mentioned that members of either conflicting community have largely not travelled in areas where the other community is in majority and the National Highways – NH-2 and NH-37, which connect Manipur to Nagaland and Assam respectively, critical for the supply of essentials and other commodities have been blocked to the Meiteis by the Kuki-Zomi militants. The opening up of National Highways and State’s highways by all communities has also been contentious with Kuki-Zomi groups expressing hesitation to agree to this without discussion on their political demand for a “Separate Administration”.
The delegation of Manipur civil societies asked the Centre to work out a phased and time-bound plan for resettlement of Internally Displaced People (IDPs) to their original places of habitation where they had been living before the outbreak of violence in May 2023 was discussed, with a target for completion within this year in phased-manner.
The delegation emphasised the necessity of implementing a National Register of Citizens (NRC) or a similar mechanism to effectively address the issue of illegal immigration, which they have held to be the key reason for the crisis in the region.
The other issue raised by the delegation of Manipur civil societies is opposition to extension of Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreements with Kuki-Zomi militant groups. The delegation expressed a firm and clear stance against any extension of the SoO agreements without a prior comprehensive and amicable understanding among all stakeholders within the State.
It may be mentioned that in May 2025, Kuki-Zomi representatives including MLAs had resolved that dialogues with the Government of India on behalf of the community would only be done by the SoO groups and talks are underway between these groups and the GOI on reviewing the ground rules of the SoO agreements.
The Manipur civil society delegation urges the MHA officials to conduct future rounds of dialogue with the CSOs in Imphal.
The civil society 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.
Additionally, the delegation also raised the May 20 incident at Gwaltabi when Central Security Forces forcing a Manipur State Transport bus to cover the word ‘Manipur’ on the windscreen of the bus that was ferrying journalists and staff of Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) to Ukhrul for the Shiroi Lily festival. They sought to know about the long-pending inquiry report on the Gwaltabi Incident. It is said that the delegation was assured by MHA officials that the issue will be taken up with the Manipur Government.
The delegation also submitted a memorandum regarding urgent concerns over farmers’ security and safety to the Union Home Minister through the MHA officials.
Concerns over the recent MHA directive to detect illegal immigrants within 30-day timeframe were also discussed, emphasising the need for proper mechanisms and safeguards.
A detailed report on the construction of a 343km long illegal road along the Churachandpur-Kangpokpi axis was also submitted for necessary investigation and intervention.
“The MHA officials assured the delegation that the matters raised are being seriously considered and will be forwarded to the appropriate authorities for necessary action and approvals. Outcomes and follow-up developments are expected in the coming days,” the joint statement said.
Following the meeting with MHA officials in Delhi on June 30, 2025, few hours after their return from New Delhi on July 2 the representatives of AMUCO, COCOMI and FOCS held a meeting with Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at the Raj Bhavan.
Chief Secretary PK Singh, DGP Rajiv Singh, Commissioner (Home) N Ashok Kumar and Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh were also present at the meeting where the points agreed between the Collective of Civil Society Organisations-Manipur and MHA officials at the New Delhi meeting were deliberated.
After the meeting, speaking to media persons on behalf of the AMUCO-COCOMI-FOCS delegation at Manipur Press Club, COCOMI Convenor Khuraijam Athouba said that they held a meeting with the Governor for it is the State Government which must translate the points of agreement reached with the MHA into action.
The Governor informed the civil society delegation that resettlement of displaced people would be started from the current month in a phased manner. Out of around 62,000 people displaced by the violent crisis, around 57,000 people are still taking refuge in relief camps.
The processes of identification of the places/villages where resettlement can be done, construction of prefabricated houses, re-construction of 7000 new houses which were completely destroyed and renovation of 4000 houses which were partially damaged are going on.
In view of the recent firing by suspected Kuki militants on farmers at Phubala in Bishnupur district, 1000 MR and IRB personnel would be deployed in the area in addition to the CAPF personnel already deployed there. An inquiry is going on into the incident.
In the meantime, flying squads have been formed under DCs to respond immediately to such incidents in the future, the Governor told the delegation. Manipur Police will soon issue a statement in this regard, Athouba said.
Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla also stated that the inquiry report on the Gwaltabi incident would be placed in public domain within two weeks, said Athouba, conveying what the Governor had stated during their meeting.
The Governor and the top officials of the State Government also told the delegation that biometrics of 13,945 illegal immigrants were collected and 13,917 illegal immigrants have been deported in the back-drop of the Ministry of Home Affair’s directive to identify and deport illegal immigrants, according to COCOMI Convenor Athouba.
The Government officials said that they have been working to implement the plan for ensuring free movement on National Highways within the current month, Athouba added.
“We have already made it clear that we will support the Government’s efforts to ensure free movement on National Highways”, Athouba said.
Now, given the context of the Manipur crisis and the issues raised by the Collective of Civil Society Organisations – Manipur as the delegation of Manipur’s CSOs – AMUCO, COCOMI and FOCS; the points agreed with the MHA officials in the meeting held on June 30, 2025 in Delhi; and the deliberations with the Governor of Manipur on July 2, 2025 at Raj Bhavan as follow-up actions; the core issue of the crisis – the protection of the territorial boundary of Manipur and preservation of the integrity of the State with coexistence of different ethnic groups still appears hard to reach.
Although the delegation of the Manipur civil societies and the MHA agreed that the integrity of Manipur and its territorial boundary are non-negotiable, Manipur still has challenges for a constitutional guarantee.
Senior Editor: Imphal Review of Arts and Politics
