Describing the current discourse on Manipur as “selective and imbalanced,” the Kuki-Zo Christian Leaders’ Forum has urged the government to end what it calls the erasure of Kuki-Zo victims from official narratives.
BY PC Bureau
July 3, 2026: The Kuki-Zo community on Friday launched a major protest in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district, demanding justice for the killing of 14 community members, the destruction of 13 villages and the deaths of three church leaders, while accusing the state government and sections of the media of ignoring the community’s suffering amid the ongoing ethnic conflict.
At a peaceful “Justice Rally” held at the district headquarters, leaders of the Kuki Christian Leaders’ Forum (KCLF) submitted a memorandum to Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen, urging the government to order an independent probe into the recent killings, strengthen security in vulnerable Kuki-Zo villages, rehabilitate displaced families and ensure equal recognition of the losses suffered by the community.
The memorandum, signed by KCLF Chairman Rev. Khuala, expressed “deep anguish” over what it described as the continuing violence, loss of innocent lives and the “disturbing silence and imbalance” surrounding attacks on the Kuki-Zo community. While acknowledging that all communities had suffered during the conflict, the forum alleged that atrocities committed against Kuki-Zo civilians had received little attention in public discourse and official peace efforts.
The KCLF said 14 Kuki-Zo people had been killed in recent incidents but their deaths remained largely absent from mainstream discussions. It also alleged that 13 Kuki-Zo villages had been attacked and burnt, forcing hundreds of families to flee their homes and ancestral lands.
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The memorandum also highlighted the killing of three Kuki-Zo church leaders—Rev. Dr. Vumthang Sitlhou, Rev. Kaigoulun Lhouvum and Pastor Paogoulen—describing the incident as one of the most painful episodes of the ongoing violence.
Arguing that the conflict “did not happen in a vacuum,” the KCLF said repeated attacks on vulnerable Kuki-Zo villages had triggered the present crisis and criticised what it called “selective mourning” by the state and sections of the media. “Justice cannot be partial,” the memorandum stated.
The forum demanded a high-level independent inquiry into the killings and destruction of villages, immediate action against armed groups it accused of carrying out the attacks, enhanced security for Kuki-Zo settlements, comprehensive rehabilitation and compensation for displaced families, and an end to what it described as one-sided narratives surrounding the conflict.
The memorandum urged Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen to place the community’s concerns before the Manipur Cabinet and the Union Government, saying the victims deserved justice and their sacrifices should not be forgotten.
The rally comes amid continuing ethnic tensions in Manipur, where recurring violence has displaced thousands and deepened divisions between communities. Participants said the protest was intended to draw attention to what they described as the systematic neglect of Kuki-Zo victims while reaffirming their commitment to peaceful democratic protest.
The state government has not yet responded to the specific demands raised in the memorandum.
