The militant outfit urged Kuki MLAs to “introspect” and uphold democratic accountability by withdrawing from the Manipur Assembly amid ongoing ethnic and political unrest.
BY PC Bureau
October 9, 2025: The Kuki Liberation Army-Letkholun (KLA-L), a militant group operating under the self-proclaimed “Government of Kukiland,” has called upon Kuki-Zo legislators in Manipur to consider resigning from the state assembly to thwart what it described as a “power consolidation exercise” led by former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and 26 Imphal-valley MLAs attempting to form a new government.
In a statement titled “Not Our Government, Not Our Problem”, issued by Jalaimang Kuki, Secretary of Information and Publicity, the KLA-L questioned the legitimacy and intentions behind the bid to constitute a new government in Manipur. The outfit alleged that the move lacked a “nuanced understanding” of Manipur’s socio-political complexities and served more as a “self-serving political drama” than a genuine attempt to serve the people.
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The KLA-L urged Kuki MLAs to introspect on their role in what it termed an unfolding crisis and to “unequivocally articulate their stance.” The group went further, calling for Kuki representatives to step down from the assembly if they are “genuinely committed to democratic accountability.”
Background: Who Are the KLA-L?
The Kuki Liberation Army (KLA), formed in the 1990s, is one of several armed groups advocating for a separate homeland for the Kuki people — referred to as “Kukiland” — spread across parts of Manipur, Nagaland, Assam, and Myanmar. The outfit’s political wing, the Kuki Liberation Organization (KLO), seeks to establish administrative and political autonomy for the Kuki-Zo community under the banner “Wings of the Motherland.”
Although several Kuki insurgent groups entered into the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the Indian government in 2008, yet KLA(L) kept out of it. The KLA-L, which claims to represent the “Government of Kukiland,” often issues statements through its Department of Information and Publicity to articulate its political position on state and national issues.
Tensions Between Kuki and Meitei Political Blocs
The KLA-L’s statement reflects growing distrust among Kuki groups toward Manipur’s political leadership, especially amid the prolonged ethnic conflict between the Meitei-majority valley and the Kuki-Zo hill communities. With N. Biren Singh attempting to reconstitute a government following months of unrest and political uncertainty, the Kuki insurgent group’s intervention underscores the fragile nature of ethnic representation in the state’s governance.
The communiqué concluded with the organization’s slogan — “Give me your blood, I will give you freedom” — reinforcing its hardline stance and separatist messaging
