The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) has agreed to open National Highway-2 (NH-2) in Manipur, allowing free flow of commuters and other essential goods, the Union Home Ministry (MHA) declared on Thursday in a major step towards reducing the tension in Manipur. The move follows a slew of high-intensity talks that have taken place in recent days in New Delhi between MHA authorities and a KZC delegation. The council has additionally promised complete collaboration with the security forces deployed by the central government to ensure law and order along the major highway that acts as a lifeline to the state.
The MHA said that the Kuki-Zo Council has made a promise to work in coordination with security forces that are being deployed by the Government of India to keep peace along NH-2. NH-2, which links Manipur with Nagaland and other northeastern states, has been blocked since May 2023 because of the increasing ethnic tensions between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo people. It brought about a great deal of violence, loss of human life, thousands of displaced people, and a terrible humanitarian crisis.
The reopening of the roads in both Imphal and New Delhi has been received by officials with a relieved sigh since it was a confidence-building measure, intended to restore normalcy to the violence-affected state. An easier access to NH-2 will facilitate the transportation of important commodities and relief supplies, which will reduce the suffering of displaced families and civilians who live in relief camps.
At the same time, the MHA admitted that a three-sided meeting between the representatives of MHA, the Government of Manipur and leaders of the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and the United People’s Front (UPF) also took place in New Delhi on Thursday. The final agreement of that meeting was a tripartite Suspension of Operations (SoO) Agreement that contained renegotiated terms and conditions to take effect one year after the date of signing.
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