The mobilisation follows the killing of three senior Kuki-Zo church leaders in an ambush earlier this month and the continued detention of 14 Kuki-Zo civilians in Senapati district.
BY PC Bureau
May 28, 2026 — The Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), the apex civil body representing the Kuki tribes in Manipur, has announced a Nationwide Rally on May 30, 2026, accusing both Naga and Meitei groups of carrying out “systematic persecution and targeted victimisation” of the Kuki-Zo community amid the continuing ethnic unrest in the state.
In an official notification issued from KIM’s secretariat in Lamka on Thursday, the organisation called upon all Kuki-Zo civil society organisations, student unions, women’s groups, churches, youth bodies, and community leaders across India to participate in coordinated peaceful demonstrations under a common banner and unified theme prepared by KIM.
The mobilisation comes at a time of heightened tensions following the killing of three senior Kuki-Zo church leaders in an ambush earlier this month and the continued detention of 14 Kuki-Zo civilians in Senapati district, which Kuki organisations have described as illegal captivity.
KIM stated that the nationwide rally would serve as a collective expression of grief, protest, and solidarity against what it termed “continued injustice, insecurity, and state inaction” faced by the Kuki-Zo people.
According to the notification, one of the key issues behind the protest is the failure of authorities to identify and arrest those responsible for the May 13 ambush that killed prominent Baptist leaders Rev. Dr. Vumthang Sitlhou, former General Secretary of the Manipur Baptist Convention and President of the Thadou Baptist Association India, Rev. Kaigoulun Lhouvum, and Pastor Paogoulen Sitlhou.
The three church leaders were reportedly returning from a peace and reconciliation conference when their vehicles came under attack in Kangpokpi district. Several others travelling with them sustained injuries in the ambush.
The killings sent shockwaves through the Kuki-Zo Christian community and triggered widespread protests, shutdowns, and demands for stronger intervention by the Centre, including calls for President’s Rule in Manipur.
KIM also strongly condemned what it described as the “illegal detention” of 14 Kuki-Zo civilians, including minors, allegedly being held by Naga civil society groups in Senapati district.
The apex body termed the detention a “grave violation of human rights” and described it as an “act of terror against a people already traumatised by prolonged ethnic conflict.”
The hostage issue has become one of the most sensitive flashpoints in the rapidly deteriorating relationship between sections of the Naga and Kuki-Zo communities.
While the ethnic violence that erupted in Manipur in May 2023 was initially centred around clashes between the valley-based Meitei community and hill-based Kuki-Zo groups, recent months have witnessed the emergence of a dangerous Naga-Kuki rift, particularly in districts such as Senapati and Kangpokpi.
Following the May 13 ambush, reports of retaliatory abductions and hostage-taking by rival groups further inflamed tensions in the region.
Although around 28 hostages from both sides were reportedly released following negotiations earlier this month, Kuki organisations maintain that 14 Kuki-Zo civilians remain in captivity. Naga groups, meanwhile, have claimed that six of their members are still being held.
The continuing standoff has deepened fears of a multi-front ethnic crisis in Manipur, where communal relations remain severely fractured after three years of violence, displacement, and militarisation.
Since the outbreak of ethnic conflict in May 2023, more than 260 people have been killed and tens of thousands displaced, with many families still living in relief camps across the state.
KIM has in recent weeks organised multiple protest rallies, public demonstrations, and total shutdowns across Kuki-Zo inhabited areas demanding justice for victims, the safe release of detainees, and stronger security measures.
The organisation has repeatedly accused the Manipur government of “selective justice,” bias, and failure to protect vulnerable communities.
In the latest notification, KIM General Secretary Paotinthang Lupheng urged the Kuki-Zo people to remain “united and resolute” in defending justice, dignity, and the fundamental rights of the community.
“At this critical juncture, the Kuki-Zo people shall stand united and resolute in defending justice, human dignity, and the fundamental rights of the community,” the statement said.
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KIM also emphasised that all demonstrations must remain peaceful, democratic, and disciplined, urging participants to avoid any actions that could escalate tensions further.
The announcement of the nationwide rally comes even as the Supreme Court continues to monitor the broader law-and-order situation in Manipur, including ongoing investigations, arms recoveries, rehabilitation efforts, and trials linked to the violence.
Observers say the planned mobilisation reflects growing frustration and exhaustion within the Kuki-Zo community over the prolonged conflict, delayed justice, and recurring security crises despite repeated interventions by the Centre and judiciary.
Further details regarding the scale of participation and locations of rallies across different states are expected to emerge in the coming days as Kuki-Zo organisations prepare for coordinated demonstrations on May 30.
