Manipur: CoTU calls for separate administrative setup for Kuki-Zo community

The Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU) has strongly condemned the recent actions of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), accusing the agency of selectively targeting individuals from the Kuki-Zo community in the Kangpokpi district.

In an official statement, COTU called attention to its “5 Points Declaration,” adopted on September 9, 2024, at Thomas Ground in Sadar Hills Kangpokpi. The declaration underscores that directives or orders from the Manipur state government will be disregarded in the hill areas predominantly occupied by the Kuki-Zo community. According to COTU, this measure aims to safeguard the community’s rights and autonomy until justice is served.

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The committee criticized the Manipur state administration, accusing it of bias and neglect toward the Kuki-Zo population. COTU has called on the local administrative bodies in Sadar Hills Kangpokpi to reject any state-imposed directives that could further endanger the community’s safety and security. It emphasized that this stance would remain until law and order is fully restored and constitutional democracy reestablished in the region.

Furthermore, COTU reiterated its demand for a separate administrative setup for the Kuki-Zo community. It called for the creation of a Union Territory under Article 239A of the Indian Constitution as a long-term solution to ensure the community’s protection and self-governance.