ITLF (Civil) and UKNA (armed groups) aligning behind the same call signals consolidation of tribal opinion at a moment of heightened political flux in Manipur.
By PC Bureau
January 12, 2026: The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF), the apex civil body representing the Kuki-Zo tribes of Manipur’s hill districts, and the United Kuki National Army (UKNA) have issued converging calls for a massive peaceful public rally on January 14, 2026, in what is being seen as a critical show of unity ahead of a possible end to President’s Rule in the state next month.
In separate statements issued on January 12, the ITLF formally announced the rally under the banner of the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), while the UKNA publicly endorsed and backed the mobilisation, urging maximum participation and lending organisational support to the ITLF-led initiative. The alignment between the community’s apex civil leadership and an armed group operating under the broader Kuki-Zo political framework underscores the consolidation of tribal opinion at a moment of heightened political uncertainty in Manipur.
The rally is intended to press for the early resolution of the Kuki-Zo demand for a separate Union Territory with Legislature and to reiterate the community’s firm rejection of any attempt to revive a Manipur state government that includes Kuki-Zo MLAs. The ITLF, in its notification, cited the impending expiry of President’s Rule in February 2026 as a “critical juncture,” warning that any return to the pre-violence political arrangement without addressing core political demands would be unacceptable.
READ: Imphal Groups Using Naga Villages to Target Kuki-Zo: COTU
READ: Guwahati Meet to Test SoO Groups’ Resolve on Kuki-Zo Future
Referring to the ethnic violence that erupted in May 2023, the ITLF said the Kuki-Zo people had suffered “grave atrocities,” including mass killings, large-scale destruction of homes and places of worship, and the displacement of tens of thousands. Against this backdrop, the forum asserted that continued participation in Manipur’s governance structure was “unjustifiable,” arguing that the state administration had irreversibly lost the trust of the hill communities.
The UKNA’s parallel call reinforces this position. In its statement, the group urged village chiefs, youth bodies, and local organisations to ensure full participation in the rally, framing it as a decisive collective assertion of political will under ITLF leadership. The backing of the UKNA, while stopping short of direct political intervention, signals that armed groups remain closely aligned with the civil leadership’s political objectives at a time when negotiations with the Centre are ongoing.
The rally is scheduled to begin at 11 am, with participants assembling at Sielmat Ground and Koite Ground in Churachandpur district before converging at the Peace Ground, where community leaders are expected to address the gathering. Organisers have appealed to elders, women, students, and civil society groups to turn out in large numbers, while requesting educational institutions to remain closed for the day and shops along rally routes to suspend operations temporarily.
As Manipur remains under President’s Rule and the Centre weighs options for restoring an elected government, the January 14 mobilisation is expected to serve as a barometer of Kuki-Zo unity and resolve. With both civil and armed actors backing the same call, the rally could significantly shape Delhi’s calculations on the future political architecture of the state and the viability of reconciliation without a negotiated settlement.
