Lamka, January 10, 2026: The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) and the Vaiphei Peoples’ Council (VPC) have endorsed the decision of the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) Governing Council that the Kuki-Zo people will not join the formation of the Manipur Government under the present circumstances, citing security concerns, loss of trust, and unresolved political demands.
In a press release issued on Saturday, the ITLF stated that its meeting unanimously supported the KZC’s position, asserting that the prevailing situation in Manipur makes political participation untenable for the Kuki-Zo people. The statement detailed large-scale violence, destruction of property, desecration of places of worship, and the displacement of over 40,000 people, which, according to the forum, has irreversibly fractured coexistence between communities. The ITLF further maintained that the violent displacement of Kuki-Zo people from Meitei-dominated areas has broken trust in the existing administrative framework. Under these conditions, it argued, continuing within the present system is untenable, making the demand for a Separate Administration a constitutional and political necessity. The forum reiterated that the Kuki-Zo people have formally placed their demand for a Union Territory with a legislature before the Government of India, and therefore see no rationale in joining the Manipur Government.
Recalling developments since May 12, 2023, the ITLF emphasized that Kuki-Zo MLAs had sought Separate Administration following what it described as the failure of the state to protect the community. It warned that no Kuki-Zo MLA would join the Manipur Government and that any deviation would be viewed as a betrayal of collective sacrifices.
In a separate statement dated December 10, the Vaiphei Peoples’ Council (General Headquarters), along with its constituent bodies—the Young Vaiphei Association and the Vaiphei Women Association—expressed full support for the KZC’s decision. The VPC endorsed the demand for a Separate Administration in the form of a Union Territory under the Constitution, calling it essential for the protection and political survival of the Kuki-Zo kindred tribes.
Both organizations affirmed their commitment to stand firm with the KZC in pursuing the political aspirations of the Kuki-Zo people.
