Kaybie Chongloi |
Kangpokpi: The Kuki Inpi Manipur on Sunday marked the third anniversary of the Manipur conflict as “Separation Day”, declaring it a day symbolising “total separation” from the Meitei community and renewing its demand for a Union Territory with legislature under Article 239A.
The apex body said the past three years since the outbreak of violence on May 3, 2023 have been marked by “untold suffering”, alleging systemic discrimination, institutional bias and selective enforcement of law by the state government.
The organisation cited the recent arrest of social leader Okthokhang Baite as an example of what it termed “arbitrary action based on questionable inputs”, claiming such measures have deepened mistrust while “perpetrators of grave violence continue to evade accountability”.
Describing the humanitarian toll as “devastating”, the body said thousands of Kuki-Zo people continue to live with trauma, displacement and loss of livelihood, adding that the crisis has severely impacted their social, economic and psychological well-being.
“The present arrangement is neither sustainable nor just,” the statement said, asserting that the community can no longer remain under conditions that “deny dignity, justice and constitutional safeguards”.
Calling on the Government of India to acknowledge “ground realities”, the organisation urged immediate, decisive and accountable steps toward a “just and equitable solution”, reiterating its long-standing demand for a separate administrative arrangement.
The group also appealed for unity among Kuki-Zo people, urging them to remain steadfast in their pursuit of justice while honouring the sacrifices of those killed in the violence.
Meanwhile, the Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust launched a scathing attack on authorities, alleging that “Kuki-Zo lives remain the cheapest commodities in India” three years after the outbreak of ethnic violence in Manipur, and demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the events of May 2023.
The rights body accused the then government led by N. Biren Singh of presiding over a “systematic ethnic cleansing campaign” carried out in coordination with armed groups, a charge it said is backed by testimonies, video evidence and submissions before courts.
The organisation claimed that despite widespread documentation of alleged atrocities—including killings, sexual violence and arson—“there have been no arrests and zero prosecutions” in key cases, calling it a “complete collapse of the rule of law”.
Referring to the attack on BJP MLA Vungzagin Valte, the group said the incident demonstrated how even elected representatives were not spared, raising serious concerns about the safety of ordinary citizens.
KOHUR further alleged that the looting of thousands of weapons from state armouries and subsequent attacks on Kuki-Zo villages were not accidental but part of a “pattern enabled or ignored by elements within the state apparatus”.
The body placed a set of demands, including a time-bound investigation under the supervision of the Supreme Court, immediate arrest and prosecution of those involved in high-profile attacks, public disclosure of forensic and digital evidence, and strict legal action against all identified perpetrators.
It also called for the proscription of armed groups allegedly involved in the violence, along with full reparations and rehabilitation for displaced persons who continue to live in relief camps.
“The victims remain stateless in their own country, while perpetrators walk free,” the statement said, adding that accountability would be pursued “in every court and forum”.
Ending on a defiant note, the organisation said: “We remember. We resist. We will not be erased.”
