A high-level joint meeting in Guwahati involving the Kuki-Zo Council, SoO armed groups, and Kuki-Zo MLAs resolved to push for an expedited political settlement granting a Union Territory with Legislature for the community.
BY PC Bureau
January 13, 2026: A crucial joint meeting held in Guwahati on Tuesday involving the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), Kuki-Zo MLAs, and representatives of armed groups under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the Ministry of Home Affairs has resulted in a unified political stand demanding an expedited settlement for a Union Territory with Legislature for the Kuki-Zo people.
The meeting, attended by representatives of the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and the United People’s Front (UPF)—umbrella bodies of SoO groups—reviewed the prevailing political and security situation in Manipur and adopted a series of resolutions outlining clear preconditions for any future political engagement with the state government.
Out of ten Kuki-Zo MLAs, seven unanimously endorsed the resolutions. Three MLAs—Ngursalur Sanate, L M Khaute, and Vungzagin—did not attend the meeting.
In its preamble, the joint body recalled the formal political demand submitted in September 2023, the prolonged ethnic violence since May 2023, and what it described as targeted attacks and systemic failures that have displaced tens of thousands of Kuki-Zo people.
The meeting also took note of what it termed an “unprecedented de facto demographic and administrative separation” that has existed for over 32 months, arguing that coexistence under the existing political framework has become untenable.
Key Resolutions Adopted
The meeting unanimously adopted the following resolutions:
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Demand for Political Settlement:
The Central Government must urgently expedite negotiations to fulfill the Kuki-Zo demand for a Union Territory with Legislature, including constitutional safeguards for land ownership. -
Time-bound Settlement:
The negotiated political settlement must be finalised and signed before the expiry of the current Manipur Legislative Assembly’s normal tenure. -
Conditions for Government Formation:
Any re-installation of an elected government in Manipur must be preceded by a written, time-bound commitment—from both the Centre and the State—to support the Union Territory with Legislature under the Constitution. -
Non-Participation Clause:
In the absence of such a commitment, Kuki-Zo representatives will refrain from participating in the formation of an elected government in Manipur, respecting what the meeting described as the political will of the people. -
Final Deadline:
A definitive political solution for the Kuki-Zo people must be achieved before the 2027 General Elections.
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The seven attending Kuki-Zo MLAs unanimously resolved to stand by the community’s position and strongly opposed the formation of a popular government in Manipur without a negotiated political settlement.
The absence of three MLAs from the meeting has drawn sharp criticism within the community, with meeting participants alleging that their non-participation reflects a prioritisation of personal political ambitions over collective community interests, particularly amid ongoing displacement and humanitarian distress in relief camps.
Participants underscored that, at a time when thousands remain displaced and bereaved families continue to struggle, political unity is essential to secure a permanent and constitutional resolution. The meeting concluded with a strong message that any pursuit of power without addressing core political demands would undermine the very principle of representation.
The Guwahati meeting is being seen as a decisive consolidation of the Kuki-Zo political position, sending a clear signal to New Delhi ahead of critical decisions on Manipur’s political future and the possible end of President’s Rule.
