Manipur: Village volunteers warn of armed offensive if Kuki-Zo demands ignored

The Village Volunteers Eastern Zone have demanded the surrender of over 6,000 high-grade weapons allegedly looted from state armories in Manipur’s valley districts. 

They claim that the Kuki-Zo community has remained in a defensive position but warn that if the Union Government continues to overlook their demands for Separate Administration or Union Territory with legislative powers, they are prepared to launch an offensive.

The Volunteers also dismissed allegations linking Kuki-Zo groups to narco-terrorism, instead accusing armed outfits like PLA, KYKL, KCP, and UNLF of controlling the drug trade from Myanmar and the Imphal Valley. They claim these syndicates operate with the tacit support of Manipur’s political leadership, including N. Biren Singh and other state ministers.

Highlighting the extensive devastation suffered by the Kuki-Zo people since May 3, 2023, the statement alleges that Meitei mobs led by Arambai Tengol have been responsible for burning over 200 churches and thousands of homes in Imphal, resulting in more than 200 deaths and numerous injuries.

Declaring that ethnic divisions in Manipur have become irreversible, the Volunteers issued a final ultimatum to the Indian Government:

"We have been physically, emotionally, and mentally separated from the Meitei majority. Therefore, we urge the Central Government to immediately grant Separate Administration for the Kuki-Zo people. Until our political separation from Manipur is secured, we will not lay down our arms."

With the Indian Government yet to respond to their demands, tensions remain high. The Volunteers have made it clear that should their call for self-governance go unheeded, they are ready to escalate their struggle, further intensifying an already volatile situation in Manipur.