The World Meetei Council (WMC) on Saturday wrote to Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, urging to voice concerns of the people of the state to the Centre and seek its intervention to put an end to the violence and restore peace in the state.
The letter signed by WMC chairman Heigrujam Nabashyam expressed concerns over the alleged stifling of public voice for scheduled tribe status. It noted the approaching 2026 Delimitation and lamented that the recommendation for the Meetei’s ST status has not yet been sent to the centre till date.
It decried the atmosphere of intimidation in Manipur, stating that CSOs and individuals who voice their opinions have allegedly faced threats from armed groups, have close ties with the administration.
It urged to ensure that the CSOs are free to express their concerns and represent the will of the people without fear of reprisal. It maintained that only through open dialogue and decisive action can we hope to return Manipur to normalcy.
Pointing out that 18 months have passed since the crisis erupted in the state, it added that the path to peace and normalcy still appears distant. The ongoing turmoil is unprecedented in the history of Manipur, rivaled only by the devastation of the Chahi Taret Khuntakpa (1819–1826), when Burma occupied Manipur for seven years, it stated.
However, the present crisis is of a different nature, far more insidious and threatening to the very idea of Manipur, with the threat supposedly arising from a group of immigrants from Burma, who settled in the hills of Manipur in the 19th century and are now aggressively pursuing their vision of an independent homeland, Zalengam, it asserted.
It reiterated its appeal to the chief minister to voice the concerns of the people and advocate for the protection of the idea of Manipur.