Three organisations “representing” the people of Manipur have submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “protect the life, liberty and property of the people of Manipur” by bringing to an “end” the ongoing violence in the northeastern state.

The memorandum was submitted on December 17 after a global sit-in urging the Centre to deliver peace and security in the state, which has been in turmoil since May 3. The programme was organised by the Delhi Meetei Co-Ordinating Committee (DMCC) in association with Meitei Alliance (MA) and the Global Manipur Federation (GMF). The GMF represents the people of Manipur living across the globe.

Modi is yet to visit the strife-torn state.

The sit-in was organised, among others, in seven Indian cities, all the relief camps in Imphal Valley and 15 countries, including the US, the UK, Australia, Canada, Japan and Sweden. The Indian cities included Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Imphal East (Ema Kiethel), Delhi (Jantar Mantar), Mumbai and Pune.

The memorandum pointed out the “distressful situation” the people of the state find themselves in owing to the continuing violence despite the Centre’s deployment of “additional 60,000 central force personnel and top-ranking administrative officials”.

“Ironically, the burden of protecting Meetei villages, properties, and lives have been left to Meitei civilians...,” the memorandum said.

The three organisations have also referred to the Union home ministry’s “rejection” of the Manipur government’s decision to “withdraw” the suspension of operations of Kuki militant outfits, a move which is “directly or indirectly allowing the concerned Kuki armed organisations to operate with impunity. This has aggravated the situation”.

The organisations have also raised the issue of “infiltration” of Kuki-Chin militants into the state from the neighbouring country, adding that the Meiteis “living across the globe” have to raise their voice because there “has not been adequate security measures to protect the life, liberty and property of the people of Manipur and for peaceful coexistence”. Kukis of Manipur and Chins of Myanmar share the same Zo ancestry.

The memorandum stated: “Our demand is very loud and clear...

⦿ Bring an end to the ongoing violence in Manipur since May 3, 2023.

⦿ Protect the life, liberty and property of the people of Manipur.

⦿ Protect peaceful co-existence in Manipur.”

Dr Seram Rojesh, the convener of the Delhi Meetei Co-ordinating Committee, told The Telegraph that “they want peaceful coexistence of all communities living in the state, including Kuki tribal citizens of Manipur”.

Asked whether the three organisations have placed any demand before the state government for maintaining security, Rojesh said: “The overall security of Manipur is in the hands of the central government. All the central forces are under the command of the security adviser appointed by the Centre. The state government is there just in name only. That is why the three organisations, representing the people of Manipur, have urged the Prime Minister to protect the people of Manipur. He is yet to visit Manipur even after seven months. It reflects the step-motherly treatment of the border state. It doesn’t matter to the Centre whether a Meitei dies or a Kuki dies.”

Modi is yet to visit Manipur since the unrest erupted on May 3, claiming at least 194 lives and displacing over 67,000 from both the warring Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities.

Union home minister Amit Shah visited the state once (May 29-June 2) and announced a slew of measures to restore peace but the state continues to be on the edge even now.

The issue has also not figured in the ongoing Parliament session.

On November 17, a 10-party Opposition delegation from Manipur “requested” Manipur governor Anusuiya Uikey to “arrange” a meeting of all political parties with the Prime Minister at the earliest to “find a solution” to the ongoing conflict because they consider him to be the “only hope” for establishing peace in the state.

When Prime Minister Modi’s proposed visit to poll-bound Mizoram on October 30 was cancelled, the Opposition Congress had claimed it was due to the Manipur unrest that had become a poll issue in Mizoram.