In a significant development aimed at breaking the deadlock in Manipur’s ongoing ethnic crisis, representatives of the Meitei and Kuki-Zo-Hmar communities will hold a tripartite meeting with senior officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in New Delhi on Saturday. The meeting, confirmed by both community leaders and government sources, will be the first formal dialogue involving all three sides since ethnic violence erupted in the northeastern state nearly 23 months ago.
The meeting comes amid continued tensions and lack of political resolution following widespread violence that began on May 3, 2023, over the Meiteis’ demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. The demand sparked fierce opposition from the Kuki-Zo-Hmar tribal groups, triggering one of the worst ethnic conflicts Manipur has witnessed in decades.
Since then, more than 250 people have been killed and over 1,500 injured in sporadic clashes, arson, and gunfights. Around 60,000 people, including women and children, remain displaced and are living in relief camps across various districts. The violence has created a deep divide between the valley-dwelling Meiteis and the hill-based Kuki-Zo-Hmar communities, halting normal life and governance in many parts of the state.
Officials of the Manipur government confirmed Saturday’s meeting but refrained from disclosing details of the agenda. However, leaders from both communities said that A.K. Mishra, Advisor to the MHA for the Northeast, extended invitations to leading civil society organisations and leaders from the two ethnic groups. Mishra had held separate consultations with Meitei and Kuki-Zo groups during his recent visits to Manipur in an effort to build trust.
The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), a coalition of 13 tribal organisations, had earlier met MHA officials in New Delhi on January 17. The delegation, led by KZC Chairman Henlianthang Thanglet, held discussions with Mishra and MHA Joint Director Rajesh Kamble, though the details of that meeting were not made public. KZC, along with 10 tribal MLAs from Manipur, has consistently demanded a separate administration—equivalent to a Union Territory—for Kuki-Zo-Hmar majority areas, citing total breakdown of trust with the state government and fears of persecution.
In contrast, Meitei civil society groups have raised concerns over cross-border infiltration from Myanmar, the drug trade, and the presence of armed militants. They have also pushed for the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Manipur to check illegal immigration.
Efforts to initiate tripartite talks last year failed after Kuki-Zo groups refused to sit across the table with Meitei representatives, citing ongoing hostilities and lack of confidence in a neutral process.
With both sides now agreeing to dialogue under the MHA’s facilitation, Saturday’s meeting is being seen as a crucial opportunity to restart peace-building efforts and find a possible political and administrative solution to the state’s ethnic impasse.
Officials hope that this first step could pave the way for a broader reconciliation process and end nearly two years of violence and displacement that have severely strained Manipur’s social fabric and governance structures.
