Ukhrul: Amid ongoing ethnic and political tensions between the minority Kuki-Zo tribal Christian community and the “majority Meitei community”, the Kuki National Front (KNF) commemorated its 37th year of political struggle. The KNF, a key player in negotiations with the Indian government, reiterated its demand for a separate Union Territory with legislation for the Kuki-Zo community in northeastern India.
The KNF affirmed its longstanding commitment to defending the Kuki-Zo people from the aggression of the “majoritarian Meitei community” in a statement issued on Saturday. The group recalled its armed struggle in the mid-1990s against the NSCN-IM, which marked the beginning of its political movement. In 2008, the KNF signed a peace accord, known as the Suspension of Operations, with the Indian government under a tripartite agreement aimed at finding a lasting political solution for the Kuki-Zo tribes.
On its 37th Rising Day, the KNF reaffirmed its commitment to protecting its people from physical aggression and stressed the importance of buffer zones instituted by the Home Ministry. These zones serve as a deterrent between the Kuki-Zo-occupied hills and the Meitei-dominated valley.
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The KNF also declared its readiness to respond decisively against any incursions into these buffer zones and called on its people to remain steadfast in their faith and commitment to constitutional and judicial processes. The organization emphasized that while new government formations in June may bring administrative changes, their demand for separate administration remains.
“Democracy will triumph over tyranny, and justice will prevail over lawlessness. True freedom is when we can call a place our own,” the KNF stated, underscoring that peace can only be achieved through a political solution for the Kuki-Zo community.