The Public ralles come as President’s Rule in Manipur nears expiry, with Kuki-Zo leaders rejecting any return to the pre-violence political arrangement without addressing core demands.
BY PC Bureau
January 13, 2026 — The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) on Tuesday called for peaceful public rallies across all Kuki-Zo districts on January 14, urging the Government of India to urgently “expedite a long-pending political solution” for the community amid continued uncertainty over Manipur’s future governance.
In a press release, the KZC said the rally would be held under the unified theme “Expedite Our Political Solution”, citing what it described as grave and unprecedented atrocities suffered by the Kuki-Zo people since ethnic violence erupted in May 2023. These include mass killings, widespread destruction of homes and places of worship, and the displacement of over 40,000 people, making continued participation in the existing administrative arrangement “impossible.”
The council reiterated that the Kuki-Zo people have formally and democratically demanded a separate Union Territory with Legislature, asserting that nearly three years after the outbreak of violence, no concrete political solution has been delivered by the Centre.
The rally in Lamka (Churachandpur district) will be organised and led by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF), the apex civil body representing the Kuki-Zo tribes of Manipur’s hill districts. According to the notification, participants will assemble at Rengkai Community Hall, Sielmat Ground and Koite Ground, before converging at the Peace Ground at 11 a.m., where community leaders are scheduled to address the gathering.
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Significantly, the mobilisation has received open backing from the United Kuki National Army (UKNA), which issued a parallel statement on January 12 endorsing the ITLF-led rally and urging village chiefs, youth bodies and local organisations to ensure maximum participation. The convergence of calls from both the community’s apex civil leadership and an armed group is being viewed as a rare display of consolidated tribal opinion.
The rally is also intended to reiterate the Kuki-Zo leadership’s rejection of any attempt to revive a Manipur state government that includes Kuki-Zo MLAs, particularly as President’s Rule is set to expire in February 2026. The ITLF described the coming weeks as a “critical juncture,” warning that a return to the pre-violence political arrangement without addressing core political demands would be unacceptable.
Manipur: Kuki Civil, Armed Groups Close Ranks for Jan 14 Union Territory Rally https://t.co/BghllbMW5r #KukiZo #ManipurCrisis #UnionTerritoryDemand#ITLF #UKNA #PresidentsRule
— POWER CORRIDORS (@power_corridors) January 12, 2026
In its statement, the ITLF said the Manipur state administration had irreversibly lost the trust of hill communities, arguing that continued participation in the state’s governance structure was no longer justifiable after the scale of violence and displacement witnessed since 2023.
While stopping short of direct political intervention, the UKNA’s endorsement signals that armed groups remain closely aligned with the civil leadership’s political objectives at a time when negotiations with the Centre are understood to be ongoing.
As part of the rally arrangements, the KZC has appealed to schools and institutions to remain closed for the day as a mark of solidarity, and requested shops along rally routes to suspend operations between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Drinking water suppliers have been asked to assist rally participants, and media organisations have been invited to cover the event.
With Manipur under President’s Rule and New Delhi weighing options for restoring an elected government, the January 14 mobilisation is expected to serve as a key barometer of Kuki-Zo unity and resolve. Observers say the scale of participation—and the rare alignment between civil and armed actors—could significantly influence the Centre’s calculations on the state’s future political architecture and the prospects of reconciliation without a negotiated settlement.
