In a significant development, on the 626th day of the violent conflict in Manipur since May 3, 2023, due to the attacks against the Meiteis by the Kuki-Zomi militants and retaliations in defence, a four-member delegation of the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) held a meeting with senior officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in New Delhi on January 17, 2025, and pressed further for their demand of a separate administration or a union territory with a legislature for the Kuki-Zomi tribes in India’s Northeast State of Manipur.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has told the members of the Kuki-Zo Council that a cessation of violence is a prerequisite to initiate any political dialogue in strife-torn Manipur, reports said.
In response to the preconditions, the KZC leaders insisted that this cannot be a one-sided demand from the MHA.
A report quoted Ginza Vualzong, spokesperson of the KZC, as saying that “The MHA officials said that for the political talks to happen, there should be peace first. No violence and no firing. We told them there are circumstances when we are attacked and have no option but to retaliate. You cannot only ask us for peace; it has to be from both sides. From our side, we are ready to maintain peace.”
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday, January 17, 2025, began a dialogue process for the first time with the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), an apex body of 13 organisations representing Kuki-Zomi tribes in Manipur.
The MHA’s Security Advisor for the Northeast, AK Mishra, and a Joint Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) in the Northeast, Rajesh Kamble, representing the MHA, met with the KZC delegation.
The delegation of KZC consisted of Henlianthang Thanglet, Chairman of KZC; Ajang Khongsai, Coordinator of the Governing Body of KZC; Richard Hmar, Finance Secretary of KZC; and Ginza Vualzong, Spokesperson of KZC.
The meeting was held in Delhi’s Ashoka Hotel, where the KZC delegation sought a separate administration carved out of Manipur for the Kuki-Zomi tribes and also asked the Government of India (GOI) to start a political dialogue to resolve the violent conflict in the State. The meeting lasted 90 minutes, reports added.
As it was the first meeting between the KZC and the Union Government of India, the KZC members introduced themselves to the MHA officials in terms of what KZC is about, its constituent bodies, activities, and demands, according to reports.
The KZC said they have been seeking a dialogue with the Centre to expedite a political solution over its demand for a Union Territory with a legislature under Article 239(A) of the Constitution for their people living in Manipur’s hill areas.
To prevent confrontation between the Meitei community and the Kuki-Zomi tribes, the KZC sought complete adherence to the “buffer zone” by the Meitei community, according to reports.
However, frequent attacks, even using rocket bombs and drone bombs from the surrounding mountains against the Meitei villages in the foothills, are widely reported in the media, and even many video footages are widely circulated in social media.
Friday’s meeting (January 17, 2025) with the MHA officials assumes significance in view of the ongoing violent conflict in Manipur and the government’s moves to resolve the crisis.
The meeting between the KZC and the MHA’s representatives was held days after the KZC met newly appointed Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla in Churachandpur, seeking restoration of peace in Manipur and solutions to the issues being faced by the community. The Governor sought their cooperation in maintaining peace in Manipur and finding a solution.
The Governor, on his maiden visit after assuming office on January 3, visited Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts on January 7, and during his interaction with various civil society organisations (CSOs), he appealed to the leaders to work collaboratively with the administration in peacebuilding efforts.
The KZC last week urged Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla to take steps to deploy “neutral Central Security Forces” to deal with the crisis and also pressed their demand for a Union Territory.
In the meeting with the Governor in Churachandpur district headquarters during Bhalla’s maiden visit on January 7, 2025, the KZC leaders submitted a memorandum, which also demanded “maintaining the sanctity of the buffer zones between the hill and valley regions and re-demarcation of district police jurisdictions.”
The memorandum said that there has been no improvement in the security situation following over a year and a half of killings and displacements, and citizens “continue to face daily danger of death.”.
“One and a half years after the violence began, Kuki-Zo community people’s homes and properties are still being set on fire and destroyed. To date, almost 7,000 homes have been demolished, over 220 Kuki-Zo community people have lost their lives, over 360 places of worship were destroyed, and about 40,000 have been made homeless,” the memorandum had said.
What is more significant and pertinent about the Friday meeting of the KZC delegates and MHA representatives is the legitimacy and recognition of the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), which the Manipur government denied its existence recently.
The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) asserts its legitimacy, challenging the Manipur Government’s denial of its existence. The KZC accuses the government of attempting to suppress their voice and control the media.
With the Manipur government stating that there is no organisation called the Kuki-Zo Council, the KZC, in a statement issued on December 20, 2024, by Khaikhohauh Gangte, Secretary Information, Kuki-Zo Council, refuted this, stating that it acts as a common political platform for addressing shared political concerns and advocating for the collective interests of the community.
“The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) has recently taken note of certain quarters questioning its origin and authenticity. Notably, a press release issued by the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), dated 18th December 2024, and circulated on social media, challenges the existence of the KZC and denounces its activities. Initially, the Council considered the DIPR’s press release to be fake, as it lacked a signatory and the designation of the responsible officer.”
It added that, “The Kuki-Zo Council was officially established after months of deliberations on the 11th of October 2024 in Lamka. Its first historic General Body Meeting was held on 8th December 2024 at S. Molnom village, Sadar Hills, Kangpokpi. Comprising representatives from various Kuki-Zo cognate tribes and Inpis. The Council acts as a common political platform for addressing shared political concerns and advocating for the collective interests of the community. It serves as a formal governing body, fostering dialogue, and the highest decision-making bodies representing the Kuki-Zo kindred tribes.
The Council is dedicated to promoting unity, upholding traditional values, and ensuring the progress and well-being of the community. As the highest decision-making body for the Kuki-Zo kindred tribes, the Council includes all tribe presidents and three additional members as members of its Governing Council and three representatives each from districts frontal organisations. A cabinet is responsible for day-to-day management of the council, which is nominated by constituent members as per the council structure. This structure ensures that the Council remains an inclusive and the sole authoritative body representing Kuki-Zo civil societies effectively. It is not surprising that the communal, Meitei-led Manipur Government conducted a flawed and biased investigation into the Council and hastily concluded that “no such organisation (KZC) exists in the state of Manipur.”
The KZC said, “The headquarters of the KZC is located in Lamka, and the question of whether Lamka is a district or not is irrelevant. If the Meitei can rename the valleys of Manipur as “Kangleipak,” what objection can there be to the name “Lamka”? The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) vehemently condemns the dictatorial governance of N. Biren Singh’s Meitei-led Manipur Government for attempting to suppress the voice of the Kuki-Zo people. This includes urging both local and national media houses to refrain from publicising KZC press releases by labelling them as unauthorised and appealing to the Central Government and its agencies to disregard KZC claims as unverified. Such actions are unbecoming of a democratically established state, as they suppress the voices of the people and attempt to control the media, which is regarded as the fourth pillar of democracy”.
Meanwhile, it may be mentioned that on December 18, 2024, the Manipur Government stated that there is no organisation called Kuki-Zo Council, recently when the KZC had objected to Manipur Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren passing through Kangpokpi district in order to reach Senapati district, where the Chief Minister participated in the Robvena Ni festival on December 18, 2024.
The state government, in a statement, said, “Upon investigation, it has been found that no such organisation exists in Manipur. The origin and authenticity of this group are highly questionable. There is no district by the name Lamka, mentioned as a headquarters in Manipur. This raises strong suspicions regarding the external origins of such organisations that appear to operate outside legal and administrative frameworks. …”
The government further said, “The police are actively looking into this matter, and an FIR will be lodged to ascertain the true nature & intent behind such misleading activities. The people of Manipur are urged to exercise caution and not to pay heed to statements or claims from organisations of dubious origins, which have been surfacing recently with the apparent intention of creating confusion and unrest. The government remained committed to maintaining peace and harmony in the state and advised the citizens to remain vigilant and trust only credible sources of information. Further updates will be shared as investigations progress.”
The Manipur Government stated, “The government further urged the media fraternity, both national and local media houses, to refrain from giving publicity to such press releases from unauthorised organisations/individuals. The central government and its agencies are also appealed to disregard such claims from unverified organisations. The restoration of peace and harmony amongst our communities is of utmost importance at this juncture more than ever. The government will not tolerate any action that threatens to disrupt the peace process.”
Notably, according to a report after the meeting with the MHA representatives on January 17, 2025, Ginza Vualzong, spokesperson of KZC, said that in the past, various organisations such as the Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU) in Kangpokpi and the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) in Churachandpur were in talks with the Union Government of India at different levels. From now on, however, the KZC will be the unified body representing the community in talks with the MHA. It will be the main platform to discuss the issues of the community, he said, adding that when it comes to local issues, the groups active in specific areas will take responsibility.
However, whether it is due to ignorance or negligence or total intelligence failure or deliberate, the Manipur government denied the existence of the Kuki-Zo Council recently.
On the other hand, notably, despite the Manipur government’s denial of its existence, the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) is emerging as the unified body representing Kuki-Zomi tribes in the talks with the Government of India.
Senior Editor: Imphal Review of Arts and Politics
