Churachandpur, July 1, 2025: The Kuki Organization for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR), a body with UN special consultative status, has submitted a formal appeal to the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST), seeking urgent intervention to nullify what it describes as illegal occupation and transfer of tribal lands in Manipur’s hill areas - specifically Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, and Moreh (Tengnoupal district) - by non-tribal (Meitei) individuals.
In the memorandum dated June 30, 2025, KOHUR expressed grave concern over the alleged systematic encroachment of tribal land rights, stating that such actions threaten the survival, identity, and constitutional rights of the Scheduled Tribes in the state. The representation, addressed to the NCST Chairman, emphasized the need for immediate action to investigate and halt the unlawful transfer of land ownership to non-tribals, including Meiteis.
Citing Section 158 of the Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms Act, 1960, KOHUR pointed out that no land owned by a tribal can legally be transferred to a non-tribal without prior approval from the Deputy Commissioner. The organization alleged that this law is being routinely violated, and that non-tribal settlements are expanding in tribal areas under administrative negligence or tacit support.
Highlighting three key districts - Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, and Moreh - the memorandum claims that the illegal encroachments have become politically motivated and widespread. In Moreh, a trade hub on the Indo-Myanmar border, demographic changes and land acquisition by non-tribals, including migrants, were specifically flagged as a serious concern.
KOHUR also alleged political and institutional discrimination, accusing the state of using forest and revenue laws to selectively evict tribals while leaving non-tribal encroachment unaddressed. The organization warned of a coordinated effort to delegitimize tribal rights by portraying constitutional protections as “special privileges.”
Demands and Recommendations:
KOHUR called on the NCST to:
1. Investigate and nullify illegal land transfers by constituting a fact-finding team.
2. Enforce accountability by directing a land audit in the Hill Areas and placing an immediate moratorium on further transactions involving non-tribals.
3. Recommend constitutional safeguards, including an extension of Fifth Schedule–like protections and permanent legal remedies.
In its conclusion, KOHUR reiterated its call for constitutional justice, stating, “The tribal communities of Manipur have lived with dignity, harmony, and ecological wisdom for centuries. Their survival and future now hang in the balance.”
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The appeal comes amid ongoing ethnic unrest in Manipur and increased scrutiny of land rights in the state’s sensitive hill-valley divide.
