Apex tribal body urges Manipur Guv to create UT to end ethnic crisis

Imphal: The Kuki-Zo Council, the apex body and political platform for the Kuki-Zo tribal community, on Tuesday urged Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla to take steps to deploy ‘neutral central security forces’ to deal with the ethnic crisis and also pressed their demand for a Union Territory.

The Council, a conglomerate of 13 organisations of the Kuki-Zo tribal community, reiterated their demand for a Union Territory for the tribals with a legislature.

The leaders of the council met the Governor in Churachandpur district headquarters during Bhalla’s maiden visit and submitted a memorandum, which also demanded “maintaining the sanctity of the buffer zones between the hill and valley regions and re-demarcation of district police jurisdictions.”

The memorandum said that there has been no improvement in the security situation following over a year-and-a-half of killings and displacements and citizens continue to face daily danger of death.

“One-and-a-half years after the violence began, Kuki-Zo community people’s homes and properties are still being set on fire and destroyed. To date, almost 7,000 homes have been demolished, over 220 Kuki-Zo community people have lost their lives, over 360 places of worship were destroyed, and about 40,000 have been made homeless,” the memorandum said.

The Kuki-Zo Council told the Governor that “as a minority community with fewer numbers and even fewer resources to protect ourselves, we are under constant threat of being attacked by militant groups like Arambai Tenggol and the proscribed UNLF, who have access to a large arsenal of weapons bought from across the border or looted from state armories.”

The memorandum, signed by Council Chairman Henlianthang Thanglet and General Secretary Reverand Dr. VL Nghakthang said: “Our only hope of survival lies in a political solution for the Kuki-Zo community, which is total separation from the Manipur government and the Meitei people.”

They said that now that the hills and valleys have been divided, the only thing left is separation in the administration.

“Only after the separation is completed will there be peace. We implore you to acknowledge our predicament, act quickly to address our concerns, and support our desire to have a separate administration which is a Union Territory with a legislature under Article 239 (A) of the Indian Constitution,” the memorandum said.

The Kuki-Zo Council leaders accorded a warm reception to the new Governor at the Deputy Commissioner’s Conference Hall, Churachandpur.

The Council congratulated Bhalla on his appointment as the Governor of Manipur and appreciated the Central government for appointing its senior most officer for the gubernatorial position.

The Governor on his maiden visit after assuming office on January 3, visited Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts on Tuesday and during his interaction with various Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) appealed to the leaders to work collaboratively with the administration in peace-building efforts.

Bhalla also visited various relief camps in the two districts and interacted with displaced people, who have been staying in the relief camps since the ethnic violence broke out in Manipur in May 2023.

IANS