Churachandpur, August 21, 2025: The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) has strongly objected to what it termed the “deliberate misinterpretation” of recent remarks by the Director General of Assam Rifles (DGAR) concerning the influx of people from Myanmar into India.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the KZC clarified that the DGAR had reported about 42,000 individuals crossing over into India due to political and ethnic turmoil in Myanmar, who have since been sheltered in states including Mizoram, Manipur, and Nagaland. According to the council, these individuals are not “illegal immigrants” but victims of war and persecution, seeking refuge under international norms.
The council accused former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh of twisting the DGAR’s statement to reinforce what it described as a “false narrative” of illegal immigration in Manipur. “This reckless statement is not only misleading but also dangerous, as it seeks to vilify the Kuki-Zo people and inflame tensions in an already fragile situation,” the release stated.
KZC emphasized that the Assam Rifles, under the Free Movement Regime (FMR), has been recording the biometrics and documents of those crossing the border, ensuring due procedures are followed. “This alone refutes the baseless claim that they are illegal,” it said.
The council further criticized certain media houses for echoing Biren Singh’s claims without verification, thereby spreading misinformation and stoking stigma against an entire community.
Reaffirming their identity, the Kuki-Zo Council said: “The Kuki-Zo people of Manipur are not illegal immigrants, nor have we entered India in recent times. We are the indigenous sons and daughters of this land, whose history and existence in the hills of Manipur long predate present political boundaries.”
The statement concluded by alleging that Biren Singh’s tenure as Chief Minister was marked by “communal prejudice and discriminatory policies” against the Kuki-Zo people.
The press release was issued by Ginza Vualzong, Secretary, Information & Publicity, Kuki-Zo Council.
