Members of Universal Friendship Organisation, a non-profit, hold peace rally in Manipur

The central government, meanwhile, constituted a Peace Committee in Manipur under the chairpersonship of the Manipur Governor, which is aimed at facilitating the peacemaking process among various ethnic groups there, read a statement by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

Members of the Universal Friendship Organisation, a non-profit organisation, took out a peace rally in violence-scarred Manipur on Saturday. The central government, meanwhile, constituted a Peace Committee in Manipur under the chairpersonship of the Manipur Governor, which is aimed at facilitating the peacemaking process among various ethnic groups there, read a statement by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

The committee members include the chief minister, a few members of the Manipur cabinet, MPs, MLAs and leaders from different political parties. The committee also includes former civil servants, educationists, litterateurs, artists, social workers and representatives of different ethnic groups.

The mandate of the committee members will be to facilitate a peacemaking process by taking the different ethnic groups of the state, by engaging them in dialogue and brokering negotiations between conflicting parties and groups, said the MHA statement. "The committee should strengthen social cohesiveness, mutual understanding and facilitate cordial communication between various ethnic groups," it said.

The committee was formed days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the constitution of a peace panel after taking stock of the situation in Manipur during his four-day visit to the Northeast state between May 29 to June 1. Clashes erupted in Manipur erupted on May 3 during a rally organised by the All Tribals Students Union (ATSU) to protest a directive by the Manipur High Court, asking the state government to consider including the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category.

After a month of ethnic strife, which left many dead, the Centre had to deploy central armed forces to enforce order. (ANI)

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