The council also slammed political and civil society leaders for their “apparent unwillingness to pursue meaningful reconciliation and dialogue” to end the Naga-Kuki-Zo violence.
The confrontation erupted when the protestors attempted to storm the festival’s main venue opposing the celebrations. Security personnel used tear gas and batons to restore order.
Owing to heavy rainfall, the Prime Minister, instead of flying to Churachandpur from Mizoram in a helicopter, instead landed in Imphal and chose to travel by road from there to Churachandpur.
The preamble of the SoO agreements states that KNO and UPF will completely abjure the path of violence and not engage in kidnappings, ambushes, extortions, intimidation etc.
The CSO leaders stressed that only concrete implementation would determine whether the dialogue translates into real progress for the people of Manipur.