Manipur CM Biren Singh rejects demand for separate administration for Kuki areas

Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Monday (May 15) rejected a demand made by 10 MLAs, including seven from the ruling BJP, for a separate administration for the Kuki-dominated districts of the north-eastern state.

The CM, who was speaking to reporters at a press conference in Imphal emphasised that the “territorial integrity of Manipur will be protected at all costs”.

Biren Singh, who had made an air-dash to Delhi on Sunday to confer with Union home minister Amit Shah, said measures are being taken to ensure militants, who had signed a peace pact known as ‘Suspension of Operations’, return to their designated camps.

Singh also appealed to people not to hold dharnas or rallies in view of the sensitive phase the state has been witnessing, after race riots broke out between the majority Meiteis and the Kukis earlier in May.

He also said no force would be used to break the blockades imposed by some groups on highways in the state in the wake of the rioting, and instead efforts would be made to reason with these demonstrators.

Also read: 3,583 people from violence-hit Manipur flee to Mizoram

Further in the press conference, the CM said measures are being undertaken with the supervision of Union home minister Amit Shah to make the SoO (Suspension of Operations) groups return to their camps and strengthen efforts to bring normalcy back to the state.

Biren Singh said that he and his ministers, who had travelled to Delhi with him, had briefed Shah about the prevailing situation in the state and “conveyed to him the sentiments of the people of Manipur on the situation”, as also intelligence “on the involvement of armed militants in the recent violence”.

Asked about the demand made by 10 MLAs for a separate administration for Kuki areas of the state, he said, “There is no threat to the integrity of Manipur.”

Ten tribal MLAs belonging to the Chin-Kuki-Mizo-Zomi group in Manipur have urged the Centre to give their region a separate administration in the wake of recent violent clashes between the Meiteis and tribals.

Replying to a query about the involvement of Kuki militants in the violence, Singh said, the army and other security personnel are visiting designated camps of Kuki militants, who are part of the Suspension of Operation pact and checking whether they are present there or not.

Also read: Manipur violence: Army drones, helicopters on watch; 23,000 people moved to camps

“Several innocent people died and properties have been damaged. We are focusing on rehabilitation and resettlement of affected people,” he pointed out. The chief minister also said the priority of his government is to restore peace and normalcy in the state.

He also asked deputy commissioners and police chiefs of various districts to ensure that the properties of those who fled homes due to the violence are not looted.

At least 73 people were killed, 231 injured and 1,700 houses, including religious places, burnt in the ethnic violence that rocked the northeastern state recently, said officials. However, fresh violence was reported late May 13 night.

Suspected militants opened fire and torched around 10 houses at Torbung in Bishnupur district, a police officer said. Clashes broke out in Manipur after a Tribal Solidarity March was organised in the hill districts on May 3 to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

The violence was preceded by tension over the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserve forest land, which had led to a series of smaller agitations.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals – Nagas and Kukis – constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.

Some 10,000 army and para-military personnel had to be deployed to bring back normalcy in the north-eastern state.

(With inputs from agencies)