Initiate talks with Meitei MLAs: Tangkhul Naga body to Naga legislators, CSOs

Imphal: Tangkhul Naga Aze Longphang (Southern Tangkhul Naga Union Manipur) has suggested Naga legislators and CSOs to initiate talks with Meitei as Naga legislators have initiated talks with Kuki legislators to bring back normalcy in Manipur.

Manipur has been in chaos since May 3 last year, the day the Kuki people launched attacks on the Meitei people and their villages.

Chairman of the Naga body, Shomi Angkang told reporters here on Sunday that considering the present crisis that has been continuing for over nine months, Naga MLAs have initiated a talk with Kuki-Zo MLAs recently at Guwahati, Assam. It is a good step for the Naga legislators and similar talks should also be continued with the Meitei legislators as people from all the sections of Manipur are suffering, he added.

Shonmi said the tribal affairs and hills department has been a major department for the people residing in the hill districts of Manipur. However, due to the crisis tribal affairs minister has not been able to work as usual.

“For the last two years, the department has been paralysed and as a reason, no government developmental schemes can reach the people residing in the hill districts. The state government should take necessary steps by inducting stationing MLA in Imphal so that people residing in the hills can get the government schemes, scholarships for students and others,” he added.

He urged the state government to expedite the process for the autonomous district council (ADC) election along with the Lok Sabha election, 2024 at the earliest.

“Regarding the pending border fencing work, the Naga body demanded to complete the pending work for undisputed areas and to solve the issues for disputed areas which are from new border pillar number 90 to 129,” he said.

Secretary of the Naga body, Shimrei Phang Ningshen said the state government after considering the welfare of the people residing in the hill district chief minister N. Biren Singh should take the necessary steps by inducting new Tribal Affairs minister.