A joint meeting of Kuki-Zo leaders, including MLAs, civil society organisations (CSOs), and militant outfits under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement, held in Guwahati on Friday, resolved not to engage with the Centre or its representatives until substantive political dialogue with the SoO groups is resumed.

A statement released late Friday said: “The joint meeting of the MLAs, CSOs, and SoO groups today at Guwahati resolved that until the resumption of substantive political dialogue by the government of India with SoO groups, the CSOs and elected representatives shall no longer engage with the government of India or its representatives.”

The meeting, hosted by Kuki-Zo MLAs at a government facility in Guwahati, saw the participation of all 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs from the 59-member Manipur Assembly, which has been under suspended animation since the imposition of President’s rule on February 13, following the resignation of chief minister N. Biren Singh.

The resolution marks a collective decision to delegate all community-level engagement with the Centre to the SoO groups, in the context of the ethnic conflict that broke out on May 3, 2023. The violence has claimed at least 260 lives, displaced over 60,000 people, and led to an effective territorial divide between the Kuki-Zo-dominated hills and the Meitei-majority valley.

The last round of formal talks between the Centre and the 25 SoO groups was held on May 3 last year, just before the violence erupted. The talks were reportedly at an advanced stage regarding the Kuki-Zo demand for a territorial council. However, the community is now firm on its demand for a Union Territory with a legislature.

A Kuki-Zo leader told The Telegraph that the SoO groups would now be the community's sole representatives in talks with the government of India. This development may further strain relations with the Meitei community, which has been demanding the abrogation of the SoO agreement, blaming it for fuelling the conflict along with alleged illegal migration from Myanmar. The meeting also briefly discussed the issue of government formation in Manipur.

'Warning' to Meiteis

Churachandpur Police have registered an FIR against Paojakhup Guite, the president of the Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO), Delhi unit, for allegedly issuing threats against Meitei civilians travelling through Kuki-Zo areas to attend the upcoming Shirui Lily Festival in Ukhrul district.

In a post on X, the Manipur Police said: “As regards to one Paojakhup Guite, Prez KSO Delhi threats (in a video) to the Meitei, to not allow (them) to cross the buffer zone to attend the upcoming Shirui Festival in Ukhrul, which is circulated in social media since yesterday, Churachandpur Police has registered an FIR and all efforts, including raid etc. in nearby districts are being made for his immediate arrest.”

Police in neighbouring states — Mizoram, Assam, Nagaland and Meghalaya — have been alerted and asked to assist in arresting Guite. Authorities have also assured full security for participants attending the festival.

The Shirui Lily Festival, held in Ukhrul after a two-year hiatus due to the ongoing ethnic unrest, celebrates the state flower and is an important cultural event for the Naga community.

Earlier this week, police had issued a statement guaranteeing adequate protection after an “unknown organisation” — identified as the Kuki Zo Village Volunteer-Eastern Zone (KZVV-EZ) — issued a threat warning Meiteis against entering or crossing Kuki-inhabited areas to attend the festival. The warning, dated May 11, was circulated on social media and local vernacular platforms.