Talks with Ministry of Home Affairs focused on Kuki-Zo demand for separate administration amid tensions in Manipur.
Kuki-Zo leaders meet MHA officials in Delhi to discuss Union Territory demand as displaced residents in Manipur protest insufficient compensation (Photo: File)
GUWAHATI: In a major political development, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) held a two-day round of talks in Delhi with the Kuki-Zo armed groups under the Suspension of Operation (SoO) the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and the United People's Front (UPF) on November 6 and 7. The discussions centred on the Kuki-Zo community's core demand for a Union Territory with a legislative assembly.
The KNO and UPF delegations, representing the Kuki-Zo political and armed leadership, were led by senior leaders from both umbrella bodies, while the Centre was represented by A.K. Mishra, Advisor (North East), MHA.
The first day's discussions focused on the implementation of the September 4 tripartite agreement between the MHA, the Government of Manipur, and the SoO groups. The Kuki-Zo representatives underscored the urgent need for an alternative administrative arrangement in the Kuki-Zo-inhabited districts, citing the collapse of governance and law and order in the wake of the ongoing ethnic conflict.
On the second day, deliberations revolved around the demand for a Union Territory with a legislature, with the KNO and UPF asserting that "coexistence under the Manipur state administrative setup is no longer possible".
The delegations strongly reiterated that the Kuki-Zo demand for a Union Territory is historically and constitutionally justified. They argued that the Kuki-Zo Hills were never under the Manipur State Durbar's control before Independence, and that under British rule, the region was classified as an "Excluded Area" under the Government of India Act, 1935—administered directly by the British Political Agent, not by the Meitei king.
The KNO and UPF delegations urged the government to reconsider its position, arguing that constitutional provisions take precedence over policy, and that the ground realities in Manipur have rendered coexistence impossible. They called for invoking constitutional safeguards to secure the lives, land, and property of the Kuki-Zo people.
The dialogue comes at a time when Kuki-dominated Churachandpur remained shut on Thursday in protest against the killing of four cadres of the United Kuki National Army (UKNA), an armed group, by security forces on Tuesday. The Army and Assam Rifles had earlier claimed that the four UKNA cadres were killed during an encounter at Khanpi village, about 60 km west of Churachandpur. Following this, tensions have risen in the Kuki-Zo-administered areas.
Following the conflict in May 2023, thousands of people from both the Meitei and Kuki communities were forced to flee their homes. As a result, around 60,000 people are now living in relief camps. The state government had earlier announced that the rehabilitation of displaced persons over 60,000 people affected by the ongoing conflict would be completed by December in a phased manner. However, according to camp residents, there has been no visible progress on the ground.
The situation drew attention after videos surfaced showing internally displaced persons (IDPs) returning the money given as government assistance. At least 446 IDPs staying at the prefabricated housing complex in Sajiwa, Imphal East, returned Rs 11,74,320 to the authorities, rejecting the government's daily allowance of Rs 84 per person, which they described as "meagre and inadequate".
Speaking to TSG, Samananda Singh, a former Navy personnel currently staying at the Akampat Relief Camp, described the hardships of life in the camps. "The money given is very little; earlier, they used to give Rs 80 and rice. Now, they have removed the rice. We need more support for education and medical treatment. We request priority for our children's education and free medical facilities. We want to go back home our properties are damaged, and our youths need help," Singh said.
The displaced persons, who have been living in relief camps since the ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3, 2023, marched to the Sub-Divisional Office (SDO) in Imphal East and deposited the amount, expressing their anger over what they described as an "insulting" compensation.
