Manipur’s 10 Kuki, 7 Naga MLAs meet at Guwahati hotel, discussions held

In what appears to be significant development, Naga and Kuki MLAs from Manipur today held a crucial meeting in Guwahati. 

Reliable sources have told India Today NE that ten Kuki MLAs and seven Naga MLAs, totalling to seventeen, met today at a hotel near the airport in Guwahati. 

The sources have told India Today NE that the Naga MLAs present in the meeting today included Awangbow Newmai, Khashim Vashum, Losii Dikho, K Leishyo, S.S. Olish and others. 

Sources have also told India today NE that the Kuki MLAs present in today's meeting were Ngursanglur Sanate, Letpao Haokip, LM Khaute, Letzamang Haokip, Paolienlal Haokip, Nemcha Kipgen, Vungzagin Valte, Kimneo Haokip Hangshing, Chinlunthang and Haokholet Kipgen. 

This meeting comes at a very significant moment as both the Meitei and Kuki lobbies have trying to woo the Naga side amidst the ongoing ethnic conflict. 

Sources have revealed that today's meeting is primarily on Hills area committee although discussions were on the scrapping of the Free Movement Regime (FMR), resolution to the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur.

So far, the Naga dominated districts of Manipur have remained largely peaceful even as the rest of the state has been affected since May last year. 

More than 180 people have been killed in Manipur since ethnic violence erupted on May 3 last year after a tribal solidarity march was organised in the state to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. 

The state constiitues a fertile bowl shaped valley surrounded by hills. While the Manipur valley holds 10 per cent  of the state land , it is home to 70 per cent of the population primarily meiteis. The hill areas  the other hand constitute 90 per cent of the state's territory occupied by the Nagas and the Kukis, along with some other small tribal groups who make up 30 per cent of the state population.