The militants have taken two Meitei men hostage and are demanding the release of Mark T Haokip, currently in the custody of the NIA.
Kuki militants in Manipur have demanded the government free a man from their community held over secessionism charges, in exchange for two Meitei youngsters they currently hold hostage, officials in the security establishment and the state government said on Sunday in what threatens to escalate into a fresh crisis for a region besieged by ethnic strife.
A senior officer in the multi-agency security establishment deployed to the state told HT that the militants have made several demands, with two being crucial. “The demands include the release of Mark T Haokip, currently in the custody of the NIA, and the shifting of 15 Kuki prisoners from Imphal’s Sajiwa jail to the Churachandpur jail,” said the officer, who asked not to be named.
Chief minister Biren Singh held meetings with officials and political parties as pressure to resolve the hostage crisis grew. A video released on social media Sunday showed the two captive men urging the CM to accept the demands. The CM’s office has not confirmed the nature of the specific demands.
According to the official cited above, negotiations between the Biren Singh administration and Kuki groups are being routed through central security forces — the Assam Rifles and the Central Reserve Police Force — and Kuki civil society organizations, who are in contact with the militants.
“It’s unclear where the two Meitei men are being held. The CSOs deny knowledge of the location but say they can send human couriers to and from where the militants are placing their demands,” the official said.
Lelena, a civil society group member in touch with security forces, disputed the characterisation of those holding the Meiteis as militants, calling them village volunteers instead. “We’re only communicating with the security forces so that the demands of our village defense volunteers are met and the two men are released. On Friday, when the incident happened, the volunteers released one Meitei man, but kept the others.”