Manipur: Kuki-Zo groups demand probe into killings, village attacks at Kangpokpi rally

Hundreds of members of the Kuki-Zo community held a peaceful rally at the Kangpokpi district headquarters in Manipur on July 3, demanding justice for the killing of three Kuki-Zo church leaders and alleging that the deaths of Kuki-Zo civilians and the destruction of their villages during the ongoing conflict have not received adequate attention.

 

Organised by the Kuki Christian Leaders' Forum (KCLF), the rally saw participants carrying placards and banners calling for justice, accountability and equal recognition of the suffering endured by the Kuki-Zo community.

 

After the demonstration, a KCLF delegation marched to the official residence of Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen. As she was not present, the memorandum was submitted to her representative with a request that it be placed before the State Cabinet and the Union Government.

 

The memorandum sought justice for Kuki-Zo victims, protection of Kuki-Zo land and villages, and criticised what the Forum described as selective media coverage and official narratives surrounding the conflict.

 

"The Kuki-Zo church leaders, civil society organisations and the wider Kuki-Zo community write to you with heavy hearts, deeply aggrieved by the continuing violence, loss of innocent lives, and the disturbing silence and imbalance surrounding the tragedies that have befallen our people," the memorandum stated.

 

While acknowledging that several communities have suffered during the conflict, the Forum alleged that public attention had largely focused on the deaths of six Naga individuals, while the losses suffered by the Kuki-Zo community had not received similar recognition.

 

The memorandum described what it called "grave injustices that have been met with absolute silence". It claimed that 14 Kuki-Zo people had been killed in recent incidents and that their deaths "remain largely unacknowledged in mainstream discussions and peace-building dialogues".

 

It further alleged that 13 Kuki-Zo villages had been attacked and burnt, displacing hundreds of families and leaving many without homes or access to their ancestral land.

 

The Forum also highlighted the killing of three Kuki-Zo church leaders, describing it as one of the gravest attacks on the community's faith and social fabric. It said the three religious leaders had devoted themselves to the spiritual welfare of the community before they were ambushed and killed.

 

According to the memorandum, the violence stemmed from "continuous and systemic attacks targeting vulnerable Kuki-Zo villages". It argued that selective recognition of victims while overlooking the deaths of 14 Kuki-Zo people and the destruction of 13 villages amounted to "an insult to the principles of justice and human dignity", adding that "justice cannot be partial".

 

The KCLF demanded a high-level independent inquiry into the alleged burning of 13 Kuki villages and the killings of 14 Kuki civilians. It also alleged the involvement of the NSCN (IM) and ZUF (K) in the incidents and called for those responsible to be brought to justice.

 

The memorandum further urged the State Government to strengthen security in Kuki-Zo areas to protect villages, ancestral land and residents from further attacks.

 

It also sought rehabilitation measures and compensation, requesting immediate assistance for rebuilding the affected villages and ensuring the safe return and rehabilitation of displaced families.

 

Calling for equal recognition of the losses suffered by the community, the Forum urged the government to address what it described as a one-sided narrative and ensure that all tribal citizens receive impartial protection.

 

Concluding the memorandum, the Forum appealed to the Deputy Chief Minister, saying, "As our representative in the highest echelons of power, we look to your leadership to ensure that our pain is not erased, our dead are not forgotten, and our lands are protected."

 

The Forum also expressed hope that the Deputy Chief Minister would place the community's grievances before both the State Cabinet and the Union Government for immediate consideration.