Guwahati: Just two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Manipur, the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) has clarified that National Highway-2 (NH-2) has not been reopened for free movement and accused some groups of misrepresenting its earlier statement.
The KZC, which signed an agreement with the Union Home Ministry on September 4 to facilitate traffic along the vital Imphal-Dimapur route, said its position has been misunderstood. On Monday, it issued a detailed clarification addressed to the Meitei public, stressing that no declaration has been made regarding the reopening of NH-2.
According to the KZC, its request was only for residents of Kangpokpi to cooperate with security forces in ensuring commuter safety along the highway, as instructed by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The Council underlined that in the absence of a settlement between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, neither side should cross the designated buffer zone.
“The buffer zone is to be respected at all costs, and any violation will result in serious consequences and further deterioration of peace and security,” the Council stated in its clarification. It also condemned attempts to twist or misrepresent its words, saying such actions generate mistrust and confusion during a fragile period.
Government officials, however, stated that the highway remains open for commercial and private vehicles, though members of the two communities are still avoiding each other’s territories. Ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo groups since May 2023 have claimed nearly 250 lives and displaced about 60,000 people.
Officials also pointed out that the KZC’s position has shifted over time, initially insisting buffer zones should remain until their demand for separate administration was met, and now linking it to a broader settlement between the two communities. This, they said, indicates some willingness to consider dialogue with Meitei groups.
The reopening of NH-2 was announced by the Home Ministry earlier this month, just ahead of the Prime Minister’s September 13 visit to the state. While Modi urged reconciliation between the hill and valley communities, Kuki leaders described the visit as largely symbolic and criticised the government for not addressing the root causes of the conflict.
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