Newmai News Network Imphal | October 21 United People's Front (UPF) and Kuki National Organisation (KNO), two separate umbrella bodies of various Kuki insurgent groups, have reiterated its intent to carve out a separate Kuki state from the existing state of Manipur. The outfits say the proposed state would comprise Sadar Hills, Chandel, Churachandpur and the "ancestral lands" of the Kuki/Zo people in Jiribam, Imphal Free Press daily newspaper said in a report. According to UPF and KNO, the Kuki/Zo people include 23 tribes in Manipur. The Kukis are the third largest group in Manipur. The second round of tripartite political talks between the two Kuki underground groups and the Government of India and Government of Manipur was held in New Delhi on October 19, the report said. A six-member delegation of UPF led by its spokesperson Aaron Kipgen and a seven-member delegation of KNO led by its negotiator Seilen Haokip took part in the talks chaired by Satyendra Garg, Joint Secretary, Northeast. It was also attended by, among others, AK Mishra, Director, IB, Colonel Amit from DGMI office and Colonel Vikram from DGMO office while P Doungel, ADGP (Int) represented the Government of Manipur. A joint press statement of UPF and KNO signed by Calvin H, convener, UPF/KNO said that as indicated in the ‘Outline of Political Demand’ during the first round of talks held on June 15, 2016 at Ashoka Hotel, New Delhi, the outfits submitted the detailed document entitled "A case statement for a separate state for the Kuki/Zo people to the Government of India, according to the Imphal Free Press report. The report further quoted the statement as saying that questions and clarifications sought by the Chairman, Joint Director, Northeast (IB), representatives of Director General of Military Intelligence, DGIM and Director General Military Operations, DGMO on the salient features of the document, and answers and response from the negotiator KNO, spokesperson UPF and convener UPF and KNO was the substance of the second round of talks. The UPF/KNO convener said in the statement that the proposed new state would include the Sadar Hills, Chandel, Churachandpur and the ancestral lands of the Kuki/Zo people in Jiribam. "The political dialogue was unconditional and within the framework of the Indian Constitution. The Government of India would consider the memorandum submitted by UPF and KNO and accordingly invites the two entities for the next round of political dialogue," the newspaper paper quoted Calvin as saying in the statement.
