Imphal, Oct 25: Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh has proposed a committee representing all 36 communities to promote peace and harmony, reviving questions over an earlier peace panel formed after the 2023 ethnic violence.
Khemchand said the proposal followed a query from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on whether a committee existed to bring all communities together.
“I would consult Maharaja Leishemba Sanajaoba and all MLAs on the proposed body and appealed to the public to support its formation,” he said, while addressing a felicitation ceremony for hill tribal chiefs at the Darbar Hall of the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, on Saturday.
However, the Chief Minister has so far announced plans for consultations without specifying the committee’s composition, the process for selecting representatives or a timeline for its constitution.
The proposal also leaves open questions about whether representatives of all communities, including those from opposing sides of the ethnic conflict, would agree to participate and what mechanisms would ensure that dialogue translates into tangible progress towards peace.
Emphasising Manipur’s shared history, the Chief Minister said all communities had contributed to defending and safeguarding the state. Recalling the Anglo-Manipur War and the Seven Years’ Devastation, he stressed the need to preserve this legacy through mutual trust and collective responsibility.
He expressed hope that Mera Hou Chongba would strengthen brotherhood and unity among the people.
The proposed committee comes more than three years after the Centre constituted a peace committee in June 2023, following the outbreak of ethnic violence in Manipur.
The earlier panel was chaired by then Governor Anusuiya Uikey and included the Chief Minister, ministers, MPs, MLAs, political leaders and representatives of different ethnic communities.
Its mandate was to facilitate dialogue and negotiations between conflicting groups and strengthen social cohesion and mutual understanding.
However, the initiative struggled to secure broad acceptance. Kuki representatives and organisations objected to the inclusion of then Chief Minister N Biren Singh and raised concerns about the panel’s composition, undermining efforts to establish a forum acceptable to the conflicting sides.
Against this backdrop, the proposed committee’s ability to secure participation across communities will be crucial to its credibility.