NMA talks peace with Meira Paibis, COCOMI
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 12 2019: A team of the Naga Mothers' Association (NMA) which is currently in the State interacted with Meira Paibi leaders and COCOMI functionaries today.

The six-member NMA delegation and Meira Paibi leaders talked about peace and communal harmony at Hotel Classic here this afternoon.

Speaking to media persons after the meeting, NMA president Abeiu Meru told media persons that they came to Imphal on a mission to bring peace in the two States of Manipur and Nagaland.

NMA has a Peace Committee and the committee has been spreading the message of peace wherever they go.

Notably, the Times of India's Lifetime Achievement Peace Award 2013 was shared between NMA and the Meira Paibis of Manipur.

Since then, the NMA has been in touch with the Meira Paibis.

NMA talks peace with Meira Paibis, COCOMI

The current visit of NMA delegates is also aimed at renewing and strengthening this relationship between NMA and the Meira Paibis, Abeiu Meru said.

Saying that today's meeting was very fruitful, she said that she felt elated.

"It is our responsibility to share with all our friends back home all the ideas we gathered at the meeting today", said the NMA president.

NMA advisor Dr Rosemary said that the meeting also deliberated on the difficulties encountered by women due to heavy militarisation in both Manipur and Nagaland as well as the misunderstanding that exists between peoples of the two States on account of the Naga peace talk.

The price of the Naga National Movement which is over 70 years old is very heavy.

So many lives and properties have been lost, Dr Rosemary said.

"We are of the belief that all Nagas across boundaries should be taken into account while working out a solution to the Naga issue", she asserted.

However, the shape of the solution and the peace it brings would depend on the decisions of the Government of India and the negotiators, she said.

She exuded confidence that the Government of India and the negotiators would come out with a fruitful solution which would bring peace in all directions.

COCOMI functionary Khuraijam Athouba said that they too attended the meeting between the NMA team and Meira Paibi leaders of the State.

The NMA delegates came with a message that indigenous peoples of Nagaland and Manipur are bound to live together for all times, and people of the two States must live together in peace and harmony irrespective of what direction the solution to the Naga issue goes, Athouba said.

Meira Paibi leaders of the State made it clear that they do not see any community as enemies or adversaries.

They said that any initiative or policy taken up within the State of Nagaland as a result of the peace talk would be warmly welcomed but the solution should not harm the integrity and identity of Manipur.

"Even if the Government of India does anything forcibly which harms the interest of Manipur, we would not target any community but will put the entire blame on the Government of India", Athouba conveyed as stated by Meira Paibi leaders.