The Kuki-Zo community has reiterated its commitment to peace amid escalating tensions in Manipur. Responding to claims made by the DMCC, the Kuki-Zo Women’s Forum stated that armed Meitei groups, not Kuki-Zo factions, were responsible for the ongoing violence.
BY PC Bureau
The Kuki-Zo Women’s Forum, Delhi & NCR has trashed the allegations made by the Delhi Meetei Coordinating Committee (DMCC) against the Kuki-Zo community, calling them baseless and misleading. In a statement issued on February 13, the forum described the DMCC’s claims as an attempt to distort facts and divert attention from the real perpetrators of violence in Manipur.
Meitei Militants Blamed for Manipur’s Unrest
According to the Kuki-Zo Women’s Forum, the ongoing violence in Manipur had been fueled by armed Meitei insurgents, many of whom were operating from across the Myanmar border. Reports over the past several months had confirmed that Meitei militants, including members of groups such as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), UNLF, KYKL, and PREPAK, had infiltrated Manipur from Myanmar and actively participated in attacks on Kuki-Zo villages and civilians.
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The forum accused Manipur outgoing Chief Minister N. Biren Singh of helping these groups, alleging that his administration had provided protection and logistical support to Meitei armed factions. The collapse of law and order in the state, they argued, was a direct consequence of the BJP-led government’s policies, which had allegedly empowered Meitei extremists and turned the police force into an ethnic militia.
Kuki-Zo SoO Groups Committed to Peace
The tforum refuted allegations that Kuki-Zo groups under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement had violated its terms, calling them deliberate falsehoods. They asserted that Kuki-Zo SoO groups had strictly adhered to the agreement’s ground rules, unlike Meitei militant factions, which they accused of orchestrating systematic attacks, burning homes, desecrating churches, and displacing thousands.
The forum further criticized the Manipur government’s unilateral decision to revoke the SoO pact, calling it illegal and politically motivated. They argued that the Union Government had recognized the need for peaceful resolution and had continued to engage with Kuki-Zo groups, which, despite continued attacks, remained committed to stability.
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The statement also dismissed the DMCC’s assertion that the removal of CM Biren Singh would not bring peace, calling it hypocritical. The forum accused Singh of running an openly Meitei supremacist regime that had systematically marginalized Kuki-Zo communities. They claimed that under his leadership, Manipur had descended into chaos, with state police and armed mobs allegedly collaborating to carry out targeted violence.
Additionally, they criticized the DMCC for portraying the former Governor’s removal as a political conspiracy, arguing that it was part of a routine administrative reshuffle. Instead of addressing the failures of the Manipur state government, the DMCC, they said, had continued to spread baseless narratives to shield those responsible for the violence.
Call for Action Against Meitei Extremist Groups
The forum urged the DMCC to stop spreading misinformation and diverting attention from the atrocities committed by Meitei armed groups. They called on the Union Government to take firm action against what they described as “Meitei extremist groups and their political enablers.”
Reaffirming their commitment to peace, the Kuki-Zo Women’s Forum reiterated that their demand for a Separate Administration remained unchanged.
