The Ministry of Home Affairs convinced CoTU to withdraw the NH-2 economic blockade, but no timeline for action on the abduction has been given.
By PC Bureau
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has persuaded the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) to withdraw its planned 48-hour economic blockade along National Highway-2, originally scheduled from midnight October 7 to October 9, 2025.
Well-placed sources in the Home Ministry said CoTU leaders were assured that the Centre would direct the Manipur administration to investigate the abduction of Kamginlen Chongloi on October 2, 2025, and take strict action against the perpetrators. “We will not allow such blockades anymore, and this was firmly conveyed to the CoTU leadership,” a source added. “The Governor will examine CoTU’s demands.”
However, the Ministry has not provided a timeline for apprehending the culprits, raising doubts about the seriousness of such assurances. Observers note that in the past, similar promises have often been delayed or forgotten, leaving communities skeptical.
“CoTU’s leadership appears to have disregarded prior experiences of their community’s engagements with the Centre,” said analysts. During the extension of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People’s Front (UPF), and while negotiating “free movement” along NH-2 with the Kuki-Zo Council, MHA officials had promised talks on political demands—widely understood as a demand for a Union Territory. A month has now passed with no date fixed for resumption.
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This is not the first time CoTU has retracted a blockade threat following assurances from authorities. On September 25, the Committee had warned of action against the perpetrators of the Assam Rifles ambush, only to withdraw it the next day citing promises from the Centre. Critics argue that repeated withdrawals risk undermining CoTU’s credibility, as the public may question whether these measures aim to compel action or merely serve as a public display.
Under pressure from the Home Ministry, Kuki-Zo groups have also cancelled other protests, including one planned in Churachandpur on September 6 ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit. Analysts note that the Kuki-Zo leadership currently appears unable to resist pressure from the Centre, raising concerns about their bargaining power.
Again, the MHA successfully co-opted the Kuki-Zo groups when it pressured them to allow the removal of coffins from the Wall of Remembrance in Churachandpur ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit. This act caused deep heartbreak within the community, as the site held sacred significance. At the time, AK Misra, In-Charge of Northeast Affairs, once again personally engaged with leaders of various Kuki-Zo civil society groups, who ultimately agreed to comply without protest. Subsequently, many even publicly justified their compliance, despite the emotional and cultural impact on the community.
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The Centre has often applied a similar carrot-and-stick approach with Manipur-based groups. For instance, the United Naga Council (UNC) suspended its trade embargo on September 11, 2025, a day after the Manipur government assured a discussion on its demands regarding border fencing and the Free Movement Regime (FMR). The embargo had been enforced from midnight September 8 in protest against fencing the 1,643 km India-Myanmar border and scrapping the FMR, which allowed document-free travel for border residents up to 10 km from the boundary. A month later, no follow-up action has been taken.
Similarly, the Coordination Committee on Manipur Integrity (CoCoMI) was assured strict action against officials who removed a nameplate of Manipur from a bus carrying journalists to cover the Shirui Lily Festival. Months later, no action has been reported.
The latest blockade was originally called to protest the abduction of Kamginlen Chongloi and demand enhanced security preparedness in buffer zones separating Kuki-Zo and Meitei-dominated areas. Following assurances conveyed through the district administration, CoTU has temporarily lifted the blockade in good faith, the Committee said.
CoTU warned that any failure by authorities to act decisively and promptly would result in the reimposition of the NH-2 blockade without further notice.
The Committee also expressed gratitude to the public and civil society organizations for their unwavering support over the years, reaffirming its commitment to protecting the rights, safety, and dignity of the tribal communities in Manipur.
