With more than 60,000 people displaced and 1,500 villages destroyed, KOHUR says the crisis in Manipur is pushing Indigenous communities to the brink of extinction.
BY PC Bureau
August 9, 2025: The Kuki Organization for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR) marked World Indigenous People Day with a stark warning: the Kuki-Zo people are facing an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe. The UN-recognized body said that in the 15 months since ethnic violence erupted in May 2023, the community has endured mass killings, the destruction of over 1,500 villages, the burning of thousands of homes, and the total collapse of healthcare, education, and basic services.
“This is not just a crisis — it is a fight for existence,” KOHUR declared in a press release, urging both the Government of India and the global community to act before it is too late.
KOHUR, which holds UN Special Consultative Status, linked the plight of Manipur’s Kuki-Zo population to broader global struggles of Indigenous peoples facing forced displacement, cultural erasure, and political disenfranchisement.
A Humanitarian Crisis in Stark Numbers
According to KOHUR’s fact-finding data:
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Over 230 confirmed deaths — many of them women, children, and elderly civilians — have been recorded.
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1,500+ villages and localities destroyed or abandoned due to arson, looting, and targeted attacks.
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More than 7,000 homes burned, leaving over 60,000 people displaced into overcrowded relief camps.
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Entire communities have been cut off from markets, schools, and health facilities for over a year.
The report described the devastation not only in terms of physical damage but also the collapse of livelihoods, social structures, and cultural practices that sustained the Kuki-Zo people for generations.
Collapse of Essential Services
KOHUR painted a grim picture of near-total governance failure in the conflict-hit zones, describing a landscape where no government hospitals remain operational in the worst-affected hill districts. An estimated 80% of relief camps are without safe drinking water, while one in three displaced persons suffers from preventable illnesses such as diarrhoea, respiratory infections, and skin ailments. Maternal mortality rates have spiked due to the complete absence of emergency obstetric care. In several camps and villages, malnutrition has already surpassed the World Health Organization’s emergency thresholds.
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“The hills are living in the shadows of a silent epidemic,” the statement warned, cautioning that the collapse of healthcare could claim more lives than direct violence if left unaddresse
Mobility Restrictions and Border Wounds
Beyond the violence itself, KOHUR highlighted mobility restrictions as a major aggravator of the crisis.
“Thousands are forced to traverse dangerous jungle trails or cross flooded rivers to reach supplies or seek medical help,” the group said, noting several fatalities during such attempts.
KOHUR also strongly criticised New Delhi’s decision to unilaterally fence the Indo-Myanmar border and abolish the Free Movement Regime (FMR) — a policy that historically allowed borderland Indigenous communities to travel up to 16 km across either side without a visa.
The organisation claimed these moves have:
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Severed over 200 villages from traditional markets.
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Reduced cross-border trade by 70%, crippling local economies.
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Divided extended families and broken centuries-old cultural ties.
“This violates the spirit of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), which guarantees the right to maintain cross-border relations,” KOHUR asserted.
A History of Displacement and Marginalisation
The ethnic tensions in Manipur are rooted in decades of mistrust, competing land claims, and uneven state development policies. While the May 2023 violence was triggered by a controversial court order and subsequent protests, Kuki-Zo organisations argue that the scale and coordination of the attacks point to long-standing political hostility toward the hills.
READ: DoNER Backs Kuki-Zo Plea for Hill Road Corridor in Manipur
Over the past 15 months, repeated internet shutdowns, blockade-induced shortages, and alleged selective policing have deepened the crisis. Civil society mediations have faltered, and the peace process remains fragile.
Four Key Demands from KOHUR
On the occasion of World Indigenous Day, KOHUR urged the Government of India and the Manipur state government to take four immediate steps:
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Restore basic services — including healthcare, potable water, and education — in all conflict-affected areas.
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End discriminatory policies and uphold Indigenous rights under UNDRIP and international law.
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Halt border fencing until Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) is obtained from all affected Indigenous communities.
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Establish a separate administrative arrangement for the Kuki-Zo people to ensure safety and protection from systemic oppression.KOHUR called on international human rights bodies, the UN, and foreign governments to move beyond ceremonial observances and take tangible action.
“The Kuki-Zo people — and all Indigenous peoples — deserve more than kind words. They deserve justice, restoration, and the right to determine their future,” the statement concluded.
While there has been no immediate official response to KOHUR’s demands, sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs have confirmed that the government is in quiet talks with several Kuki-Zo civil society bodies, including the Kuki Inpi and Kuki-Zo Coordination Committee.
Human rights experts say KOHUR’s appeal could increase international scrutiny on India’s handling of the Manipur crisis, especially given the organisation’s UN-accredited status.
For displaced communities in the hills, however, the test of change will be rebuilding homes, restoring schools, and guaranteeing safe passage.
As one relief camp resident told this reporter: “We have been waiting for justice for over a year. We hope the world is finally listening.”
