Kangpokpi, June 26, 2025: Thousands of members of the Kuki-Zo community staged a mass demonstration in Kangpokpi District Headquarters on Wednesday, denouncing what they claim are targeted and selective arrests of Kuki-Zo Village Volunteers by national investigative agencies such as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Organised by the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), Sadar Hills, the protest began with a large march from Nute Kailhang to the Deputy Commissioner’s Office, braving persistent monsoon rains. The peaceful rally was accompanied by a complete district shutdown from 9 AM to 1 PM, during which markets, schools, transport, and agricultural activities including jhum cultivation, came to a halt.
At the conclusion of the march, a joint memorandum addressed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah was submitted through the Deputy Commissioner. The document, signed by leaders of seven tribal organisations, including CoTU, Kuki Inpi Sadar Hills, Sadar Hills Chiefs' Association, and women’s rights groups, expressed deep concern over what it termed as “rampant and seemingly selective arrests” of Kuki-Zo Village Volunteers.
While acknowledging the legal mandate of investigative agencies, the signatories stated that the operations appear to disproportionately target Kuki-Zo community members, particularly those who defended their villages during the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur.
“These actions have caused significant anxiety, fear, and mistrust within our community, which continues to suffer from violence, displacement, and loss,” the memorandum stated.
The memorandum laid out five primary demands to the central government:
1. Immediate halt to the arrests of Kuki-Zo Village Volunteers until a fair and inclusive investigation mechanism is put in place.
2. Ensure balanced and impartial investigations that address violations committed by all groups involved in the conflict.
3. Launch confidence-building measures through engagement with communities on a neutral platform.
4. Recognise the ethnic, historical, and territorial dimensions of the ongoing conflict in any future dialogue.
5. Acknowledge and protect the Village Volunteers who have risked their lives to defend their communities.
The protest comes amid ongoing ethnic tensions in Manipur following months of violence and displacement. Community leaders fear that the current trajectory of arrests by central agencies could undermine fragile peace and fuel further division.
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The signatories called on the Government of India to adopt a compassionate and just approach, warning that aggressive and unbalanced actions could escalate the crisis and threaten the existence of the Kuki-Zo community in the state.
