Hosted by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the direct supervision of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Manipur’s Meitei, Kuki, and Naga legislators will meet on Tuesday, in a bid to restore peace in the strife-torn state. According to officials, three Naga MLAs will attend the meeting, while the exact number of Meitei and Kuki legislators is not yet clear. This is the first meeting convened by the MHA, since the ethnic violence broke out in Manipur last year.
Among the Meitei representatives attending the talks are Thongam Biswajit, Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata, Thounaojam Basantakumar, Khongbantabam Ibomcha, Dr. Sapam Ranjan, Thokchom Radheshyam, and Tongbram Robindro. Representing the Kuki community are Letpao Haokip, Paolienlal Haokip, and Haokholet Kipgen. Naga leaders such as Awangbow Newmai, L. Dikho, and Ram Muivah will also be part of the discussions.
The dialogue will be the first face-to-face meeting between Kuki and Meitei leaders, signalling what some political observers described as “the central government’s intent to secure a peaceful resolution.” Some of the Manipur MLAs have welcomed the Home Ministry’s initiative to restore peace in the strife-torn state.
Over 200 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence in Manipur since May 2023. “From the Naga side, three MLAs - Awangbou Newmai, L Dikho and Ram Muivah - will be attending the meeting in New Delhi. Muivah is currently in the national capital over a personal issue,” an official source said. All three MLAs are from the Naga People’s Front (NPF), an ally of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state. Several BJP legislators also left for the national capital on different flights from Imphal.
“We have been asked to come to Delhi to discuss certain things. I don’t know the exact agenda now. We have been exploring all means for bringing peace,” Water Resources Minister Awangbou Newmai told reporters at Imphal airport. NPF legislator L Dikho said it is difficult to bring peace to Manipur unless all the communities and people are involved.
The violence in Manipur began on May 3, 2023, when protests broke out against a Manipur High Court ruling that favoured granting the Meitei community access to land ownership in tribal areas, a benefit traditionally reserved for the state’s minority tribes like the Kukis and Nagas. The ruling was seen as a threat to the land rights of the tribal communities, sparking ethnic clashes between the Meteis and the Kukis.
Over 200 people have since been killed, and more than 60,000 displaced, as both communities engaged in violent confrontations.
The conflict has led to widespread destruction of homes, villages, and places of worship, particularly targeting the Kuki community. Despite heavy deployment of central security forces, the violence has persisted, resulting in mounting casualties and displacement. Relief camps are overflowing with displaced individuals, and both sides remain deeply distrustful of each other. The Centre’s repeated efforts to bring the warring groups to the table have culminated in this critical meeting.
As tensions continue to simmer in the state, this historic meeting offers a glimmer of hope for restoring stability and fostering dialogue between the divided communities.
