Organised by the Committee on Tribal Unity, the peaceful rally called for impartial law enforcement, deployment of Central Armed Police Forces in vulnerable districts and equal protection for all communities.
BY PC Bureau
July 5, 2026: In one of the largest public mobilisations by the Kuki-Zo community in recent months, thousands of men, women and youth gathered in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district on Saturday to voice concern over the deteriorating security situation in the hill districts. The demonstrators accused armed groups of carrying out targeted attacks on Kuki-Zo villages in an attempt to alter the demographic and political landscape of the region, and urged the Centre and the Manipur government to take immediate steps to restore security and ensure impartial enforcement of the law.
The rally, organised by the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), was held at the strategically located Gamgiphai Buffer Zone and drew participants from several Kuki-Zo inhabited areas of Kangpokpi district. Organisers described the demonstration as a show of solidarity against what they termed the “Balkanisation” of Manipur’s hill areas through repeated attacks on Kuki-Zo settlements and alleged inaction by the authorities.
The procession began at Taloulong Damdei and moved along National Highway-2 to the Gamgiphai Buffer Zone before returning to the starting point. Protesters carried large banners and placards demanding stronger security arrangements in the hill districts and calling for decisive action against the NSCN-IM and the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF), which they accused of targeting Kuki-Zo villages. These allegations have not been independently verified.
Raising slogans such as “Stop Selective Action,” “Clamp Down on Transnational Terrorists,” and “Equal Justice for Equal Rights,” the protesters also demanded the immediate deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in vulnerable districts, particularly Kamjong and Tamenglong, where recent incidents of violence have heightened tensions.
Several placards questioned the absence of central security forces in sensitive areas and called for equal protection for all communities. Others demanded stronger action against militant groups and accused the authorities of failing to prevent repeated attacks on civilian settlements.
Addressing the gathering, CoTU spokesperson Ng. Lun Kipgen alleged that the government’s response to the ongoing ethnic conflict lacked neutrality and warned that policies perceived to favour one community over another could deepen mistrust and further polarise the state.
Referring to the recent incidents in Phaimol village in Kamjong district and Leikot village in Tamenglong district, Kipgen claimed the attacks were intended to provoke a wider Kuki-Naga confrontation. He maintained that despite repeated provocations, the Kuki-Zo community would continue to exercise restraint and would not be drawn into retaliatory violence.
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“The government must ensure that constitutional guarantees are applied equally to every citizen and every community,” Kipgen said, urging both the state and the Centre to act decisively to restore public confidence in the rule of law.
The CoTU also called for a review of what it described as the operational freedom enjoyed by the Tangkhul-led NSCN-IM, contending that its alleged activities were inconsistent with the spirit of the ceasefire agreement with the Government of India. The organisation demanded impartial law enforcement, enhanced deployment of security forces in vulnerable hill districts and stronger measures against armed groups accused of attacking civilians.
The rally concluded peacefully amid heavy security deployment, with participants reiterating their demand for equal protection under the law, greater security in the hill districts and urgent government intervention to prevent further violence in Manipur.
