New Delhi: In an effort to bring peace to restive Manipur, a collective of tribals from the state on Wednesday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah here and raised their various demands.
A delegation of the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) held the talks with the home minister, ITLF secretary Muan Tombing told PTI.
The ITLF has been seeking solution to their five key demands which include total separation from Manipur and the burial of the bodies of Kuki-Zo community members.
The bodies are currently lying in Imphal and the group has been demanding that they be brought to Churachandpur.
According to an ITLF memorandum, addressed to the Union home minister and submitted through the headquarters of the 27 Sector, Assam Rifles, early this week, the tribal body had a long deliberation with various stake-holders on the request of Shah to delay the burial for another five days.
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The ITLF leaders reached Delhi coming via Aizawl, the capital of neighbouring Mizoram.
Meanwhile, Ginza Vualzong of the ITLF informed that the Home Minister has directed the ITLF to find a different location for their planned mass burials due to the conflict zone status of the chosen site. As an incentive, the Home Minister has offered the original site to the Kuki-Zo community for public use or as a memorial park. Mr. Vualzong expressed a “50:50 chance” of the Kuki community’s agreement, and the ITLF will consult them, with their response expected within a week.
Ethnic clashes first broke out between Kukis and Meiteis in Manipur on May 3 and since then more than 160 people have lost their lives.
Also Read | Manipur: Burial postponed in Churachandpur, condolence service held