Tuithpahai/Lamka, June 10, 2025: The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) has strongly condemned the recent arrests of Kuki-Zo individuals by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), calling them “arbitrary and targeted” in connection with the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur. In a press release issued on Tuesday, the council called for the immediate and unconditional release of all Kuki-Zo individuals currently in custody.
The KZC alleged that the Meitei community, with the backing of militant groups like Arambai Tenggol and the support of former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, had initiated what they termed as a “brutal and unprovoked assault” on Kuki-Zo people starting on May 3, 2023. “Our villages were burned, our homes destroyed, and our people killed. The Kuki-Zo people had no choice but to defend themselves,” the statement read.
The council outlined several reasons why the arrests were unacceptable:
1. Unresolved Conflict: The core ethnic tensions between Meiteis and Kuki-Zo remain unaddressed, with no ceasefire or peace framework in place.
2. Lack of Political Solution: Kuki-Zo political aspirations remain unmet, leaving their status and future uncertain.
3. Selective Law Enforcement: Armed Meitei groups, especially Arambai Tenggol, continue to operate freely and publicly display weapons, the KZC claimed.
4. No Accountability for Leadership: The council criticised the lack of action against former CM N. Biren Singh, alleging that he orchestrated the violence and was heard in an audio recording boasting about it.
The council expressed outrage over the unconditional release of 12 Arambai Tenggol members by the CBI last Sunday, while Kuki-Zo detainees continue to remain in custody. “This double standard in law enforcement undermines any claim to justice or neutrality,” the statement said.
While reiterating their cooperation with the government, the KZC warned that their patience was not limitless. “If this injustice continues, the Kuki-Zo Council will not remain a passive spectator,” it stated.
The council concluded by demanding equal justice and stressed that peace cannot be achieved through bias and repression.
