Ahead of the proposed May 15 visit, the KLA-L claimed Manipur now stands “ethnically divided” and called for mass mobilisation in Kuki-Zo regions. The militant outfit said any attempt to cross buffer zones separating Meitei and Kuki-Zo areas would be treated as a serious provocation.
BY PC Bureau
May 13: The Kuki Liberation Army-Letkholun (KLA-L), operating under its self-styled “Government of Kukiland,” has issued a sharp warning against the proposed visit of Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh to Kuki-Zo inhabited areas on May 15, threatening resistance if the visit goes ahead.
Meanwhile, both Kuki National (Organisation) and Zomi Re-unification Organisation (ZRO) have also resolved not to participate in Manipur Chief Minister’s proposed visit to Churachandpur on May 15, 2026.
Both organisation have thenr own armed groups which have signed suspensipon of operation agreement with the centre , The joint resolution was signed by Samuel Hethong, president of the KNO, and Khen Cin, recording secretary.
The Chief Minister is scheduled to visits Kuki-Zo dominated Churachandpur dsitrict on May 15.
In a press release issued on Wednesday, KLA (L) claimed that the ethnic divide in Manipur had become “permanent” following the outbreak of violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities on May 3, 2023.
“If the Meitei Chief Minister entertains the notion of entry, he must understand that he is no longer traversing a unified state, but attempting to cross a boundary between two distinct entities,” the statement said.
The militant group asserted that any movement into Kuki-Zo areas must now follow what it termed “national protocols governing visits between two separate lands,” reflecting its demand for a separate political arrangement for the community.
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The KLA-L also warned against any attempt to cross the buffer zones set up by the Centre and security forces in the aftermath of the ethnic clashes. It described any such move as a “serious provocation” and said it would not remain a “silent spectator.”
Calling for mass mobilisation, the outfit urged local residents to oppose the Chief Minister’s proposed visit “with tooth and nail,” and declared that Meitei individuals would not be allowed entry into Kuki-Zo areas until a “just political peace” is achieved.
The group further held the Chief Minister and the Government of India responsible for any unrest or confrontation arising out of the visit.
The statement ended with the slogan: “The Kuki-Zo people stand united: No Entry. No Compromise.”
Officials said security forces have been placed on high alert ahead of the proposed visit, amid fears that any confrontation or blockade could further inflame tensions in the state. Additional deployments are likely along key routes connecting the Imphal Valley with hill districts, where movement has remained heavily restricted since the ethnic clashes erupted in 2023.
