UKHRUL: The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), Sadar Hills, a Kuki civil body in Kangpokpi has announced a 24-hour total shutdown across Kangpokpi district from midnight on October 20 to midnight on October 21, citing continued insecurity, loss of lives and displacement among the Kuki-Zo community.
CoTU on Monday said the shutdown was intended to demand justice, accountability, protection of the community and concrete measures to address the suffering of affected families. It called on the Kuki-Zo people to observe the shutdown peacefully, with emergency medical services and other life-saving emergencies exempted.
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The CoTU expressed concern over what it described as the indiscriminate arrest of Kuki-Zo individuals in connection with the killing of three Meitei civilians, arguing that their involvement should first be established through a fair and impartial investigation.
CoTU also condemned the “killing of Paolenmung Thangneo by NSCN-IM,” saying the incident had added to the pain and insecurity faced by the community.
Citing the scale of the violence and displacement, CoTU claimed that 32 Kuki-Zo people had been killed, 30 villages burnt, 271 houses destroyed and 2,516 people forcibly displaced. The figures were presented by the organisation in its statement.
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The Kuki civil body said the continuing loss of lives, destruction of homes and displacement had left families struggling to recover, while efforts to ensure lasting security and rehabilitation remained inadequate.
CoTU urged the community to maintain unity, resolve and discipline during the shutdown, describing it as a collective expression of grief and a demand for justice and security.
The shutdown announcement comes amid continuing tensions in Manipur, where competing demands for security, accountability and protection of civilians remain central to the conflict.
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