AIZAWL —
Mizoram’s lone Lok Sabha MP Richard Vanlalhmangaiha on Thursday urged the
Centre to facilitate talks between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities to find a
permanent solution to the ongoing ethnic violence.
Raising concerns during the ongoing winter session of
Parliament, the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) MP highlighted the 19-month-long
conflict, which has resulted in over 250 deaths and displaced more than 50,000
people.
He said numerous houses and over 300 churches have been
burned or destroyed since the conflict began in May, 2023.
He urged the Centre to mediate between the leaders of the
two warring communities and bring them to the talks table.
"My request to the central government is to act as a
facilitator between the leaders of the two communities. Under the chairmanship
of the Centre, let the leaders sit at one table to discuss several issues. They
can talk about the imposition of President’s rule, separate administration,
change of leadership, ceasefire, and compensation to the relatives of those
killed and affected by the ethnic violence," he said.
He asserted that sending a large number of security forces
to Manipur alone would not resolve the current crisis.
