Kukis meet Home Ministry officials, seek separate admn for tribals in Manipur

It is learnt that they reiterated their long-standing demand for a separate administration in the form of a UT, with a legislature in districts having tribal majority in the state.

This was the first ever meeting between any Kuki community organisation and the Ministry since the ethnic violence broke out in Manipur in May 2023. A member of the delegation told The Tribune that Friday’s meeting was more of an “icebreaker”.

The Kuki-Zo delegation, which consisted of eight members, put up their demand for a separate administration in hill districts -- where tribals reside -- to help restore peace in strife-torn Manipur, the delegation member said.

The delegation is also learnt also to have called for resumption of talks between the Centre and other Kuki bodies like the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People’s Front (UPF), sources said. The Kuki Zo Council is the highest decision-making body with representatives from all major organisations representing the communities.

The development comes days after the Council had met the newly appointed Governor of Manipur, Ajay Kumar Bhalla, in Churachandpur, one of the Kuki-dominated districts, last week.

During the meeting with Bhalla, it had called for finding a solution to its demand for a separate administration to restore peace.

While the tribal Kuki community mainly resides in hill districts, the Meitei community lives in Imphal valley and other plain districts of the state.

Since ethnic violence erupted in Manipur in May 2023, more than 200 persons have been killed, while thousands have been displaced.