Kuki Black Day commemorates the killings and displacement of Kukis in the 1990s, marked each year with prayers and black flags.
BY PC Bureau
September 12 – The Kuki Students’ Organisation Sadar Hills (KSOSH) has issued a stern warning that “deterrent action” will follow if the Kuki Black Day, observed annually on September 13, is not respected.
This year’s commemoration coincides with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first visit to Manipur since the outbreak of ethnic violence in 2023.
In a statement, KSOSH urged all government offices, private schools, and colleges in Kangpokpi district to declare Saturday a holiday “to show solidarity and respect for the bereaved families.” The organisation appealed to all institutions to observe the day with dignity, describing it as a solemn moment in Kuki history.
What is Kuki Black Day?
Kuki Black Day marks the remembrance of the alleged ethnic cleansing of Kukis by Naga groups in the early 1990s, during which hundreds were killed and thousands displaced. The day has since become an annual observance of grief and solidarity among the Kuki-Zo people.
Each year, the day is commemorated through prayers in churches, hoisting of black flags, and community gatherings to honour victims and express collective resilience. It is widely regarded as both a day of mourning and a reaffirmation of the community’s identity and struggle for justice.
KSOSH is the only Kuki organisation that has issued such a call this year. Most Kuki bodies are preparing to welcome Prime Minister Modi during his Lamka visit. The Zomi community, however, has announced it will stay away from the event.
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Separately, the Kuki Students’ Organisation Churachandpur has issued a statement welcoming the Prime Minister’s visit, contrasting with the Sadar Hills unit’s hardline stance.
KSOSH further announced that its volunteers would monitor compliance across the district, cautioning that any consequences arising from failure to observe the directive would be the responsibility of the institutions themselves.
At the same time, the student body called on the public to treat the occasion as a day of prayer, solidarity, and remembrance for victims of past atrocities.
The statement was issued by the KSOSH Department of Information and Publicity.
