During a crucial consultative meeting, Kuki Zo leaders called on the central government to fulfill its commitments on peace talks, security, and essential supply movement to hill districts.
BY Navin Upadhyay
The Kuki Zo leaders’ consultative meeting held at Kuki Inpi, Tuibong, has unanimously endorsed the Kuki Zo Council as the apex body representing Kuki Zo civil society organizations. The council will serve as the primary authority in political and administrative matters concerning the community, reaffirming its demand for separate administration under Article 239A of the Indian Constitution.
The gathering of elected representatives, civil society organizations (CSOs), and leaders from various groups reinforced their commitment to the council, granting it the sole authority to issue press releases on collective matters. Exceptions were made for local issues, which may be addressed by designated organizations such as ITLF, COTU, HTC Moreh, Hmar Inpui Pherzawl, and Chief Associations from Chandel and Tengnoupal.
A key discussion point was the assurance given by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) regarding a high-level delegation visit following the postponement of the February 18 Peace Rally. Leaders urged the MHA to fulfill its commitment by dispatching officials within the agreed timeframe.
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The meeting also acknowledged the MHA’s notification for the free movement of essential commodities commencing March 8. While welcoming this initiative, the leaders proposed specific measures to ensure safety, including the establishment of a ‘cessation of hostilities’ agreement between the Kuki Zo and Meitei communities before allowing passenger movement. They also called for phased deliberation on crossing buffer zones, contingent on lasting peace and constitutional safeguards for Kuki Zo citizens.
Regarding the retrieval of looted arms, the Kuki Zo Council pressed the MHA to publish a list of stolen and recovered weapons and designate centralized collection points in hill districts. Given the volatile security situation following the events of May 3, 2023, the leaders advocated for a phased recovery process to ensure community safety and prevent further unrest.
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Concerns were raised over the extension of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in ten hill districts, questioning its necessity in areas where peace dividends from the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreements have been evident since 2008. In contrast, certain valley districts remain excluded from its enforcement, despite ongoing security threats.
The plight of internally displaced people (IDPs) remained a central issue. Leaders urged the government to provide adequate shelter and livelihood support in the hill districts where the displaced have taken refuge. The rebuilding of religious institutions and churches, particularly in the Imphal Valley, was deemed secondary to securing long-term rehabilitation in Kuki Zo-dominated areas.
With regard to government employees, the council called for Kuki Zo officials, displaced since May 2023, to continue working in neutral hill districts until a complete cessation of hostilities is achieved. Additionally, village volunteers, initially formed for self-defense, will disband only when government security guarantees are in place. The council also proposed their rehabilitation on par with SoO cadres once a political settlement is reached.
In their concluding remarks, the Kuki Zo leaders reaffirmed their commitment to achieving separate administration and urged the Indian government to send an empowered committee of senior MHA officials to assess the conditions in the hill districts. Such a visit, they asserted, would provide firsthand insight into years of neglect and help facilitate meaningful political dialogue.
The resolutions, adopted unanimously, reflect the community’s aspirations for autonomy, security, and equitable governance. The Kuki Zo Council called on all members and stakeholders to support the decisions in the spirit of unity and shared political purpose.
Key Resolutions and Demands
- Formation of the Kuki Zo Council (KZC)
The meeting unanimously endorsed the Kuki Zo Council as the apex body representing Kuki Zo civil society organizations. The council will serve as the primary authority in political and administrative matters concerning the community. - Control Over Media and Public Statements
The KZC was declared the sole body authorized to issue press statements on collective issues affecting the Kuki Zo people. However, local matters may still be addressed by regional organizations such as ITLF, COTU, HTC Moreh, Hmar Inpui Pherzawl, and Chief Associations from Chandel and Tengnoupal. - Assurance from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)
The meeting called on the MHA to honor its commitment made on February 17, 2025, to send a high-ranking delegation to discuss political and security matters with the KZC. This assurance had led to the withdrawal of the planned Kuki Zo Peace Rally scheduled for February 18. - Free Movement Notification
The MHA has issued a notification permitting the free movement of essential commodities starting March 8, 2025. While expressing appreciation, Kuki Zo leaders urged the government to implement measures ensuring safe passage, including:- Establishing a cessation of hostilities between the Kuki Zo and Meitei communities before allowing unrestricted movement.
- Restricting movement to NH-2 under the protection of Kuki Zo security personnel or the Assam Rifles.
- Phasing in movement across buffer zones only after long-term peace is ensured.
- Retrieval of Arms
The leaders called for a phased approach to the surrender of looted weapons, emphasizing:- The MHA must publish a list of looted arms and those already submitted.
- The KZC should oversee logistics for the return of weapons in hill districts.
- The process should recognize that many weapons were taken in self-defense following the violence of May 3, 2023, when radical mobs allegedly looted armories in Imphal, Lamka, Tengnoupal, and Kangpokpi.
- Extension of AFSPA in Hill Districts
Questions were raised over the extension of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in the ten hill districts while exempting 19 police stations in valley areas. Leaders noted that ceasefire agreements with Kuki Zo groups have contributed to peace since 2008, making the extension of AFSPA unnecessary. - Government Employees’ Safety
Given ongoing ethnic tensions, the Kuki Zo Council urged the government to allow Kuki Zo employees to continue working in safer hill districts—Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, Pherzawl, Tengnoupal, and Chandel—until hostilities cease. - Internally Displaced People (IDPs) and Rehabilitation
The Kuki Zo Council urged the government to provide temporary shelters, food, and livelihood support for displaced persons who fled to the hill districts due to violence. - Rebuilding of Religious Institutions
The council stated that churches and religious institutions destroyed in the Imphal valley should be rebuilt only in Kuki Zo hill districts, given concerns over safety and long-term security. - Village Volunteers (VVs) and Disbandment
The Village Volunteers (VVs)—community defense groups formed in response to attacks—will disband only after a complete cessation of hostilities and a government-guaranteed security framework. Leaders also proposed that VVs be rehabilitated under terms similar to SoO (Suspension of Operations) cadres after a political settlement is reached.
