Manipur's Meitei and Hmar Communities Sign Peace Pact in One District

In a bid to end hostilities and establish peace, the BJP-led Manipur government has achieved a significant breakthrough by facilitating an agreement between the Meitei and the Hmar community, which belongs to the Kuki-Chin-Zo ethnic group in Jiribam district, reports said.

Although the agreement is currently limited to Jiribam, government sources have described it as a crucial step towards restoring peace across both the valley and hill areas of Manipur. The resolutions adopted by both sides include a commitment to work towards bringing normalcy and preventing incidents of arson and firing.

The agreement also includes provisions for cooperation with security forces operating in Jiribam, and both sides agreed to facilitate controlled and coordinated movement. The two groups will reconvene after August 15 to continue discussions.

Earlier in the day, Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh informed the state assembly during the monsoon session that the government is actively pursuing peace talks. He mentioned that several discussions had already taken place in Silchar, Assam, which borders Jiribam district, and hinted that an announcement would soon follow.

The reconciliation meeting was held at a CRPF group center in Dayapur near Silchar, Assam's Cachar district, and was moderated by the Jiribam district administration. The meeting included representatives from the Meitei and Hmar communities, as well as members of other tribal communities such as Paite, Thadou, and Mizo from Jiribam district.

Jiribam district had largely remained unaffected by the large-scale violence that erupted in the region since May 3 of the previous year, until June 6 of this year when a 59-year-old Meitei farmer, Soibam Saratkumar Singh, went missing.

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