Tuiṭhaphai, May 22, 2025, Virthli (ONP): The Zomi Chiefs’ Association (ZCA) has issued a strong condemnation of the recent 48-hour bandh called by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), dismissing it as a "Meitei-only stunt" that lacks state-wide relevance and legitimacy.
In a press release issued from its general headquarters in Lamka, the ZCA alleged that the bandh had "no impact whatsoever beyond the Meitei valley," which they note comprises only around 10% of Manipur’s geographical territory. The association accused COCOMI of advancing a "Meitei-only agenda" under the pretense of representing the entire state, and suggested that the organization should more accurately rename itself the "Coordinating Committee on Meitei Integrity."
The ZCA further criticized what it described as a "staged drama" of the bandh, suggesting that it was only enforced in selective areas under Meitei influence. The statement also condemned COCOMI’s response to a recent controversy involving the word "Manipur" being displayed on a bus heading to Ukhrul, calling it a distraction from the ongoing suffering and violence in the hill regions.
Highlighting past events, the ZCA recalled COCOMI’s declaration of a "Manipur national war" against the Zo people in June 2023, which it characterized as a campaign of "genocidal aggression" allegedly backed by the state. The association accused the Manipur government, under Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, of orchestrating ethnic cleansing that led to the displacement of thousands of tribal residents from the valley.
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“The Zo people have suffered long enough under the oppressive regimes of Meitei-dominated Manipur,” the press release stated, emphasizing calls for justice, dignity, and equal rights. The ZCA reiterated its demand for the creation of a separate Union Territory for the Zo people, arguing that this is the only viable solution to restore peace, equity, and stability.
“The path to peace is clear,” the statement concluded. “It cannot come from maintaining a broken and unjust system. True justice and safety for the Zo people can only be realized through separation and self-governance.”
The press release comes amid ongoing ethnic tensions and deepening divisions between valley-based and hill-based communities in Manipur.
