UKHRUL: Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), the apex body of the Kuki tribes in Manipur, has submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi outlining what it described as the grave and urgent concerns facing the Kuki-Zo community amid the ongoing conflict in the state.
In a press statement issued on Friday, KIM said the memorandum highlighted issues of insecurity, targeted attacks, destruction of villages, displacement, and loss of lives among the Kuki-Zo people.
According to KIM, the memorandum expressed concern over what it termed the deterioration of Kuki-Zo–Naga relations and the worsening security situation in parts of the state. The organisation alleged that 11 Kuki-Zo villages had been ravaged and burned and that 14 Kuki-Zo civilians had lost their lives in recent incidents of violence.
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KIM stated that the continued delay in addressing these incidents had deepened feelings of insecurity and abandonment within the community. It further asserted that any political or administrative arrangement in Manipur that does not address the suffering and concerns of the Kuki-Zo people would fail to command their trust and participation.
Among its demands, KIM called on the Government of India to institute an impartial judicial inquiry into the alleged fake encounter involving Central security forces at Songkong village. The organisation also sought a review and abrogation of the ceasefire agreement with NSCN-IM and its alleged proxies, justice for the 14 Kuki-Zo civilians it said were killed, and investigations into the reported burning and destruction of Kuki-Zo villages.
The memorandum additionally urged the deployment of neutral Central security forces in vulnerable Kuki-Zo areas, submission of time-bound reports on government investigations, and an expedited political settlement for the Kuki-Zo people.
KIM maintained that the Kuki-Zo community was seeking justice, equal protection under the Constitution, and a secure political future. It argued that temporary security measures alone would not address the challenges of violence, displacement, discrimination, and insecurity faced by the community.
The Kuki apex body then appealed to the Government of India to act “immediately, impartially and firmly” in the interest of justice, peace, and constitutional responsibility, while reiterating that all citizens should receive equal protection under the law.
