CHURACHANDPUR: Thousands of people from the Kuki-Zo community took to streets in Churachandpur district, Manipur on Wednesday reiterating their demand for immediate political solution, including separate administration in the form of Union Territory with a legislature.
Organised by the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) and backed by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF), the massive public rally began from three designated locations, namely Rengkai Community Hall, Koite Playground and Sielmat Playground before converging at Peace Ground at Tuibong for a public meeting.
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Rallying in a coordinated procession, the protestors carried placards and banners with slogans like ‘Expedite Our Political Solution,” and “Justice Delayed is Justice Denied,”.
According to Ginza Vualzong, spokesperson of both the ITLF and the KZC, the rally was part of a broader campaign across Kuki-inhabited areas, with similar demonstrations reported in Tamenglong, Kangpokpi, Tengnoupal and Chandel.
Addressing the public gathering, Vualzong said “Our demand is to expedite the political solution for the Kuki people. The crisis in Manipur has continued for almost three years,” he said, adding that thousands had turned out to show their resolve.
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Vualzong noted that the Kuki-Zo Council had already submitted a political charter to the Government of India, seeking Union Territory status with Legislature under Article 239A of the Constitution. While talks have begun with the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People’s Front (UPF) — both Suspension of Operations (SoO) groups — he stressed the need for faster, decisive progress.
After the public rally, the KZC and ITLF leaders submitted a memorandum to Union Home Minister Amit Shah through Churachandpur DC, reiterating their demands.
In a memorandum, the KZC stated that for nearly three years, the Kuki-Zo people have endured immense suffering arising from the ethnic conflict with the Meitei community.
“The Kuki-Zo population has been forcibly driven out of the Imphal Valley, resulting in a complete physical, administrative, and psychological separation between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei peoples. It is widely perceived and documented that elements of the State Government machinery were complicit in, or failed to prevent, these atrocities. Under such circumstances, there exists no scope whatsoever for the Kuki-Zo people to continue under the same administration,” it stated.
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The KZC also highlighted that while political talks with the Kuki-Zo representatives -KNO–UPF have commenced, there has been no visible or tangible progress, prolonging uncertainty and hardship.
“For nearly three years, the Kuki-Zo people have been unable to access the Imphal Valley, leading to severe humanitarian, economic, medical, and administrative hardships. Our demand for a Union Territory with Legislature is well within the ambit of the Constitution of India, and we humbly urge the Home Minister to expedite a political solution to ensure lasting peace, dignity, and security for our people,” it said.
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Further, drawing attention to other concerns of the resettlement of Meitei Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Buffer Zone Areas, the KZC noted that this highly sensitive and dangerous issue poses a serious threat to peace and risks reigniting ethnic violence.
The KZC also stated that there are widespread reports that many of these properties were burnt, looted, destroyed, or illegally occupied, while the remaining properties remain vulnerable to encroachment and unlawful transfer.
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The KZC further urged the Home Minister to ensure that all Kuki-Zo lands and properties in the Imphal Valley are protected, secured, and preserved, and that no alienation, allotment, or transfer is permitted under any circumstances.
The prolonged absence of a political solution, violations of buffer zone arrangements, jurisdictional encroachments, obstruction of essential infrastructure development, and the continued vulnerability of Kuki-Zo lands and properties in the Imphal Valley have collectively deepened alienation and insecurity among our people, it added.