The Kuki-Zos of Manipur have started pushing for an early solution to their demand for separate administration which was triggered by the ongoing ethnic strife in the state which was placed under central rule on Thursday.
On Sunday, the 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs in a two-para signed statement, while “acknowledging” the Centre’s decision to place the Assembly under suspended animation on Thursday, hoped the Centre would lay out a “comprehensive political road map for peace and justice under a negotiated settlement”.
They were also looking “forward to time-bound measures to end the sufferings...".
The MLAs, who stayed away from Imphal Valley after the ongoing conflict between the Meiteis and Kuki-Zos broke out on May 3, 2023, did not mention the type of political solution they wanted but pressed for a separate administration for the Kuki-Zos in the form of a Union Territory (UT) with a legislature.
The ongoing strife has left at least 260 dead and over 60,000 displaced.
The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), a conglomerate of Kuki-Zo-based civil society organisations, is also preparing to hold a “peaceful rally on February 18 for immediate political solution for the Kuki-Zo people” in the form of separate administration — UT with a legislature.
The main aim of the rally to be held in all Kuki-Zo inhabited districts is to convey to the Centre their collective demand for a separate administration in the form of an UT, the KZC had said on Friday, requesting Kuki-Zo frontal bodies such as ITLF, CoTU, ITAC, Kuki Inpi, HTC, KSO Delhi and Kuki-Zo Women’s Forum Delhi, to organise rallies in their districts.
The KZC claimed on Saturday: “N. Biren Singh-led ethnic cleansing has separated Kuki-Zo and Meitei demographically and physically. Kuki-Zo are not separatists; Meiteis have separated Kuki-Zo from Manipur.”
Biren Singh resigned as chief minister last Sunday. Central rule was imposed on Thursday night, 21 months after the unrest erupted.
The Meiteis blame Kuki-Zo "infiltrators" and "narco-terrorists from Myanmar" for the ongoing violence.
Police warning
The Manipur police on Saturday night said that it received complaints about “fraudulent calls from unknown individuals attempting to influence and mislead MLAs of the state Assembly. An FIR has been registered with Imphal police station in connection to this.It is not yet known how the callers tried to influence the MLAs.
Security drive
The police on Saturday night said 12 more militants have been arrested since Friday – seven KNA members from Churachandpur with arms; one PREPAK (PRO) from Bishnupur district and four members of the KCP (PWG) from Imphal East on charges of extortion and possession of arms.
