Another round of talk at Delhi : From April 5 to May 27
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: May 27, 2025 -

Back at Delhi after the April 5 meeting between representatives of the Kuki-Zo CSOs, All Manipur United Clubs' Organisation (AMUCO) and Federation of Civil Societies (FOCS) and the interesting part is, Manipur is set to be represented by an organisation which did not attend the April 5 meeting - Co-ordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI).

The earlier two participants, AMUCO and FOCS have decided to stay away from the meeting while it is not yet clear whether the Kuki-Zo CSOs will make it to the Delhi meet on May 27 or not.

The question then is whether the framework under which the first round of talk was held would continue or whether a new box would be drawn up.

May 27 will give the answer, but equally interesting it is to see that COCOMI has announced that it intends to bring up the 'delete (cover) the word Manipur from a Government bus' while taking journalists to cover the inaugural function of the just concluded Shirui Lily Festival issue.

How the demands of COCOMI, which include an apology from the Governor for the mess up and the resignation of the Security Advisor, Chief Secretary and DGP are included in a dialogue to see how Manipur can walk the path to normalcy remains to be seen, but remember Imphal and the valley districts are still reeling under the impact of the call to delete (cover) the word Manipur from the signage of the bus under the Manipur State Transport Department on May 20.

It is also equally important to remember that while the Kuki-Zo CSOs refused to sign on the framework drawn up by the Union Home Ministry, representatives of AMUCO and FOCS did so and the points included, appealing for peace to people on either side of the clash divide, to resolve all issues through dialogue and consultation, to return all looted arms, rehabilitation of the displaced folks and free movement of people on the National Highways.

The Kuki-Zo CSOs refused to sign on the points drawn up by the Union Home Ministry under the line, 'will first need to consult with our people' and the free movement point should be understood in the context of what happened on March 8 following the 'free movement' call of the Union Home Minister.

This is where the question of whether the proposed May 27 talk can be seen as the next step of the talk held on April 5 or something else, becomes significant, especially in the backdrop of the fact that representatives of AMUCO and FOCS have preferred to stay away from the proposed talk at Delhi.

The question is can one take the scheduled talk as a progress from what was discussed on April 5 or should it be taken as a move from the Union Home Ministry to cast its net wider?

Only the coming days can answer the question, but it is significant that Delhi seems intent on taking things further and this is where the sincerity of all, the CSOs involved in the talk, the people and the Centre becomes all that more important.

The only question is whether Delhi is ready to walk the talk and demonstrate that the talk is not an act of appeasement, a ploy that can only have negative repercussions.

It has to walk the extra mile to demonstrate that it means business.

Much will obviously depend on the type of feedbacks that Delhi has been receiving from Raj Bhavan and the big three in the present dispensation-the Security Advisor, the Chief Secretary and the DGP.

Invitation from the office of the Home Ministry and it would help so much if some finer points on the officials representing the Centre can be spelt out, such as their rank and designation.

Making public such details would not derail the talk process in any way but on the other hand would give a certain degree of openness, a degree of transparency which can boost the confidence of the public in the talk.

This is the way to go about it and the onus on Delhi should be understood in the backdrop of the fact that the talk concerns a state of conflict, a conflict that started more than two years back and half baked approach is surely not the way to go about it.