Though the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) on March 13 evening announced the lifting of the indefinite shutdown they had imposed in “Kuki-Zo areas” of Manipur, the KZC continues to oppose the Government of India’s decision to ensure free movement on all roads in Manipur particularly the National Highways – No. 2 and No. 37.
“We would like to officially announce the lifting of the indefinite shutdown previously called by the Kuki-Zo Council w.e.f 07:30 PM of 13th March 2025. The decision to end the shutdown comes after careful deliberation. However, it is imperative to make it clear that while the shutdown has been lifted, the Free Movement, as announced by the Home Ministry shall be vehemently opposed by the Kuki-Zo people, as it undermines and dilutes the justice process. Until justice is duly served for the Kuki-Zo people, any move toward unrestricted free movement will be vigorously opposed,” said a statement issued by the Kuki-Zo Council signed by its Information Secretary Khaikhohauh Gangte.
In a security review meeting on March 1, the Union Home Minister Amit Shah told security forces to enable free movement – that is, to ensure that Meiteis are able to pass through the National Highways in the State and that Kuki-Zomis can come to Imphal valley that has not been possible for either community since the violent conflict erupted on May 3, 2023 in Churachandpur where Kuki-Zomi militants started attacking Meiteis and burnt down their houses.
Besides Amit Shah, the meeting was attended by the Governor of Manipur, Union Home Secretary, Director of Intelligence Bureau, Deputy Chief of Army Staff, Army Commander of the Eastern Command, Directors General of Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Assam Rifles, Security Advisor, Manipur and Senior Officers of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Army and Manipur administration.
During the meeting, the Union Home Minister instructed the officials to ensure free movement of people on all roads in Manipur from March 8, 2025. He also ordered strict action against anyone attempting to create obstructions.
“Free movement must be ensured for people on all roads in Manipur from March 8, and strict action be taken against anyone attempting to create obstructions.” The Union Government of India remains fully committed to restoring lasting peace in Manipur and providing all necessary assistance in this regard”, Amit Shah said in the meeting, according to reports.
However, the State (both the governments of India and Manipur) fails to allow free movement of people even on the National Highways in Manipur which are under the control of the Central Government.
Unfortunately, the Meiteis have not been allowed to move out of Manipur’s Central Valley by road as all the peripheries are surrounded by the Kuki-Zomi tribes and the Kuki-Zomi militants continue to attack them while the Kuki-Zomi people also cannot come down to Imphal for almost two years since the eruption of violent conflict on May 3, 2023.
After the Union Home Minister’s announcement to ensure free movement of people on all roads from March 8, the “peace march” organised by Federation of Civil Society (FOCS) starting from Imphal on March 8, 2025 towards Senapati on National Highway No. 2 which will pass Kangpokpi was stopped by the police at Sekmai to avoid confrontations with the Kuki-Zomis in Kangpokpi areas since the Kuki-Zomi organisations had already warned the Meiteis not to enter “their Kuki-Zo areas”.
Notably, as announced by the State Government, two state-run Manipur State Transport (MST) buses escorted by paramilitary forces were flagged off from Imphal on March 8, one Imphal-Churachandpur via Bishnupur another Imphal-Senapati via Kangpokpi. The violence in Kangpokpi took place after the Senapati bound MST bus arrived at Kangpokpi.
At least one person was killed and dozens injured on March 8 when the Security Forces tried to disperse the protestors who blocked the movement of the MST bus. According to reports, protesters in the Kuki-Zomi-dominated district held demonstrations at different places and attempted to stop MST bus, which was travelling from Imphal to Senapati district as part of the administration’s efforts to ensure free movement of civilians. The protesters set private vehicles ablaze, blocked highways, pelted stones and even fired at security personnel, prompting them to use force, reports added.
Meanwhile, a video of Kuki youths attacking security forces on Tuesday (March 11) night at the Kangpokpi headquarters was shared on social media. Another video of an ambulance belonging to a Central Security Force forcibly blocked by Kuki-Zomi youths also surfaced online.
However, the Manipur police have not issued any reports regarding stringent action against the protesters involved in the incident.
Following the March 8 incident of killing of a road blocker and injuring others, an indefinite total shutdown was imposed by the KZC from Saturday midnight against the Centre’s directive for free movement along all roads in Manipur.
Meanwhile, in a significant development, the MHA officials led by its Northeast Security Advisor A K Mishra met Kuki-Zomi groups and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) led by Meiteis on March 11 and 12 respectively in Manipur amidst the indefinite blockade of National Highways by the Kuki-Zomi groups.
A K Mishra, MHA Security Advisor for the Northeast and other officials on March 11 met members of the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), Zomi Council and representatives from Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU), Kangpokpi, Chandel, Pherzawl and Jiribam in the hill district of Churachandpur and informed them about a 13-point action plan by the Union Government to restore normalcy in Manipur.
According to reports, the meeting lasted three hours but did not lead to any “concrete decision,” one of the members who attended the meeting said, adding that the meeting was adjourned for further discussion in future. “The topics discussed were mainly the March 8 violence in Kangpokpi which led to the death of one local. District-specific issues and the Kuki-Zomi tribal bodies’ stand against free movement of all vehicles was discussed with the MHA delegation. The leaders stood firm on their stand and so did MHA officials, no conclusion could be arrived at,” said a Kuki-Zo member.
MHA’s Northeast Security Advisor A K Mishra also met a civil society organisations led by Meiteis in the Conference Hall of the State Secretariat in Imphal, namely the Federation of Civil Society (FOCS), All Manipur United Clubs’ Organisation (AMUCO), Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) in Imphal on March 12, 2025 informing them too about the road map prepared by the Centre.
However, the 13-point action plan of the Central Government to restore normalcy in Manipur is not disclosed yet.
Nonetheless, the demands of the Kuki-Zomi groups including those Kuki militant groups under the Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement, the 10 MLAs belonging to Kuki-Zomi-Hmar-Paite tribes, Kuki-Zomi tribal groups that Nongthombam Biren be removed from Chief Minister of the BJP government of Manipur and President Rule be imposed in Manipur have been met. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, Nongthombam Biren had resigned from the Chief Minister of Manipur on February 9, 2025 and following this, Manipur has been placed under President’s Rule since February 13.
Meanwhile, reports said that the Union Government has rejected the demand for a “separate administration” in the form of a Union Territory comprising Kuki-Zomi-dominated areas in Manipur – the “core condition” set by Kuki-Zo organisations for ending the conflict with the Meiteis.
MHA Security Advisor for the Northeast, A K Mishra is said to have conveyed this message of Home Minister Amit Shah to the Kuki-Zomi organisations during a meeting on March 11 at Churachandpur. The same was conveyed to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla by Shah during a meeting in New Delhi recently, reports added.
This has created ripples among “Kuki-Zo” organisations, which have been pressing for a “separate administration” and revoking the Centre’s decision to scrap the Free Movement Regime (FMR) that allowed their kindred communities living in Myanmar to cross the International border to visit India without any travel documents.
The Centre’s decision is likely to trigger outrage as the ITLF, COTU, the 10 MLAs and the Kuki militant groups under the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People’s Front (UPF) umbrellas who are under the SoO agreement pressed for it, saying that “the ‘Kuki-Zo’ people can’t live under the Manipur government, controlled by the Meiteis”. More significantly, the ITLF, COTU, the 10 MLAs, the Kuki-Zomi tribal bodies and their student and women groups working in the civil space have endorsed the demand of the KNO and UPF for a “Separate Administration” in the form of Union Territory.
The Centre’s message against the demand for a “separate administration” has provided a push for having a “referendum” regarding the demand and the next course of action by the Kuki-Zomi groups. An awareness drive is being conducted among the Kuki-Zomi tribes about the need for having a “plebiscite.” Besides, the failure of the State (both the governments of India and Manipur) fails to allow free movement of people on the highways rather allow the Kuki-Zomis to legitimise their occupation of the areas.
In short, in the developing dynamics, the failure of the Government to allow free movement of people on National Highways in Manipur allows the Kuki-Zomi militants to legitimise their occupation of the areas for almost two years and push for referendum for “Separate Administration”.
Senior Editor: Imphal Review of Arts and Politics
