Thousands rally in Churachandpur as Kuki-Zo groups press for UT with Legislature

Imphal, Jan 14: The Kuki Zo Council (KZC), on Wednesday, mounted a major show of strength in Manipur’s Churachandpur district, organising a massive public rally to press for an expedited political settlement for the Kuki-Zo people, including their long-standing demand for a Union Territory with Legislature.

Backed by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF), the rally began around 11 am and was coordinated by Ginza Vualzong, spokesperson of both the ITLF and the KZC.

Thousands of people assembled at three designated locations, Rengkai Community Hall, Koite Playground and Sielmat Playground, before marching in a coordinated procession to Peace Ground at Tuibong, where the rally culminated in a public meeting.

Carrying banners and placards reading “We Demand UT with Legislature”, “Expedite Our Political Solution” and “Justice Delayed is Justice Denied”, protesters raised slogans demanding separate administration and Union Territory status throughout the march.

Addressing the gathering at Peace Ground, Vualzong said the mobilisation in Churachandpur was part of a broader campaign across Kuki-Zo inhabited areas.

“Similar public rallies are being organised in all Kuki-Zo inhabited districts, including Churachandpur, Tamenglong, Kangpokpi and Chandel,” he said, noting that thousands had turned out to participate.

He said the rally was aimed at urging the Centre to accelerate the political process. “Our demand is to expedite the political solution for the Kuki-Zo people. The crisis in Manipur has continued for almost three years,” Vualzong said.

Vualzong said the Kuki-Zo Council had already submitted a political charter to the Government of India, seeking Union Territory status with Legislature under Article 239A of the Constitution.

While political talks have been initiated with the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and the United People’s Front (UPF), both Suspension of Operations (SoO) groups, he stressed that the community was seeking faster and more decisive progress towards a settlement.

The rally concluded with a public meeting organised by the ITLF, addressed by KZC chairman Henlienthang Thanglet, along with leaders from philanthropic organisations and student bodies.

Later in the day, KZC and ITLF leaders submitted a memorandum addressed to the Union Home Minister, routed through the Deputy Commissioner of Churachandpur.

The mass mobilisation followed a joint meeting held in Guwahati on Tuesday, attended by SoO groups, Kuki MLAs and representatives of the Kuki-Zo Council.

The meeting adopted a series of resolutions urging the Centre to expedite a political settlement, reiterating the demand for a Union Territory with Legislature as formally submitted in September 2023.

In resolutions adopted unanimously, the meeting took note of what it described as a de facto demographic and administrative separation that has existed for the past 32 months.

It resolved that the Centre must finalise a negotiated settlement under the Constitution, including safeguards for protection of land ownership.

The meeting further resolved that the settlement must be finalised and signed before the normal tenure of the present Manipur Legislative Assembly expires.

On the question of reinstallation of an elected government in the state, it said any new dispensation must provide a written commitment supporting the negotiated settlement for UT with Legislature, to be implemented in a time-bound manner within the remaining Assembly tenure.

The Kuki-Zo groups said they were prepared to participate in the formation of a popularly elected government only if there was clear political commitment from both the Centre and the state towards the settlement.

Setting a firm timeline, the meeting declared that a political solution for the Kuki-Zo people must be achieved before the 2027 General Election.