LAMKA, Dec 17: The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) has expressed grave concern over the recent resettlement of Meitei Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the Torbung buffer zone, terming the move by the Deputy Commissioner of Bishnupur as "deeply irresponsible and provocative".
In a press release issued today, the Council reacted to a firing incident that occurred last night at the Torbung buffer zone. The statement highlighted the extreme sensitivity of the area, noting that Torbung was the epicenter where the violence of May 3, 2023, originated. The Council recalled that Torbung witnessed the "first killing of the conflict," referring to the death of Pastor Sehkhohao Kipgen.
Accusations of Provocation
The KZC strictly condemned the Bishnupur district administration's decision to proceed with resettlement in what they classify as a volatile area. "A sensitive administration would have avoided resettlement in such a volatile area. Allowing Meitei IDPs to resettle in the buffer zone amounts to inviting renewed conflict," the statement read.
The Council demanded that the Deputy Commissioner of Bishnupur take responsibility for the situation and immediately "roll back the resettlement" to prevent further escalation.
Questions Raised on Sequence of Events
The KZC also raised alarm over the sequence of events leading up to the firing incident on the night of December 16. The statement alleged a coordinated pattern, citing a visit by leaders of the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) to Meitei IDPs at Torbung Mamang Leikai, followed by a public meeting organized by the Arambai Tenggol, which preceded the firing.
The Council rejected any attempts to blame the Kuki-Zo people for the rising tensions, asserting that they have consistently exercised restraint and respected buffer-zone protocols. They termed the actions during the Christmas season as a "calculated effort to disrupt the peaceful spirit of the Kuki-Zo people".
Call for Political Solution
Reiterating their long-standing political stance, the KZC stated that the Manipur crisis is "not a law-and-order issue but a political one rooted in ethnic cleansing." The statement, signed by Ginza Vualzong, Secretary of Information & Publicity, concluded by urging the Government of India to recognize the "reality that the Kuki-Zo people have been effectively separated from Manipur" and to accord them a separate administrative arrangement.
