In a memo, Kuki-Zo leaders tell PM Modi: “We place our trust in you to heal our wounds, restore our dignity, and secure our community’s future.” The memorandum also reminds Modi of the SoO pact signed on Sept 4, urging a time-bound political settlement to protect peace and survival.
BY PC Bureau
September 13, 2025 – The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) has submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Manipur, reiterating its long-standing demand for a separate Union Territory with legislature under Article 239A of the Indian Constitution.
READ: PM Modi Pushes Reconciliation Between Hills & Valley, Glosses Over UT Demand
Welcoming the Prime Minister’s visit as a “historic occasion” — the first by an Indian PM to the region in nearly four decades — the KZC underscored the immense hardships faced by the Kuki-Zo people in recent years. The memorandum highlighted that over 250 lives have been lost, more than 360 churches destroyed, 7,000 homes burnt, and over 40,000 people remain displaced in relief camps since the outbreak of ethnic violence in 2023.
“The reality is that the Kuki-Zo people have been forcibly separated by the aggression of the majority community in Manipur,” the memorandum stated, while stressing that the community continues to uphold faith in India’s democratic spirit.
The Council emphasized that its demand for separation is not out of convenience, but of necessity — citing peace, security, and survival as the primary concerns. It reminded the Prime Minister that its SoO (Suspension of Operations) group had signed an agreement with the Government of India on September 4, 2025, for a time-bound political settlement, urging him to expedite dialogue for a lasting resolution.
“We place our trust in you, Hon’ble Prime Minister, to heal our wounds, restore our dignity, and safeguard the future of the Kuki-Zo people,” the memorandum concluded.
The document was signed by Henlianthang Thanglet, Chairman of the KZC, and Thangzamang, General Secretary of the Council.
