FOCS briefs media on series of meetings with MHA, emphasises joint approach to peace

The Federation of Civil Society Organisations, Manipur (FOCS) held a press briefing today to report on a series of meetings held with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) over the past few months. The discussions, which included representatives from COCOMI and AMUCO, focused on resolving the ongoing crisis in the state and exploring ways to restore peace and normalcy.
FOCS informed the media that on March 12, a meeting was convened in New Delhi by the Ministry of Home Affairs, where senior officials including A.K. Mishra and Rajesh Kamble, Joint Director of the Intelligence Bureau, were present. During the meeting, FOCS submitted a five-point memorandum outlining key demands and suggestions for conflict resolution. A copy of the memorandum was later submitted to the Governor of Manipur.
A follow-up meeting was held on April 5, again with the participation of FOCS, AMUCO and Kuki CSOs. At this meeting, the organisations appealed for a joint appeal for peace involving Kuki civil society organisations as well. However, FOCS noted that the Kuki CSOs declined to participate in issuing a joint statement calling for normalcy.
Another round of talks was held on May 27 with A.K. Mishra in New Delhi. Unlike the previous meetings, this round involved separate discussions with different groups. FOCS clarified that they were unable to immediately disclose the details of this meeting due to its sensitive nature.
According to FOCS, a key agenda in the latest discussions was the need to move forward with a united approach and avoid pursuing separate or conflicting agendas. The memorandum submitted earlier was revisited, and FOCS expressed objections to certain developments, including the recent incident at Gwaltabi, during the meeting.