Churachandpur, August 5: The Zomi Council has strongly denounced what it described as the “illegitimate actions and divisive agenda” of the so-called Kuki-Zo Council, calling its operations unacceptable and unwelcome in all Zomi-inhabited areas.
According to a statement issued on August 4, the Zomi Council stated that it had learnt that certain authorities in the Central Government have invited a particular Civil Society Organisation (CSO) from the Manipur hills to surreptitiously discuss the issue of reopening National Highways for free access under the current disturbed conditions in Manipur.
The Council asserted that any arrangement concerning the public utilization of NH-2 (Tipaimukh Road) and NH-102B (Guite Road) is obsolete and untenable without the direct participation of the Zomi Council and its affiliated bodies. It reiterated that these roads pass through Zomi-inhabited territories, vigilantly protected by the local population with deep commitment and love for their land.
“Any CSO operating without the blessing of the Zomi Council is doomed to fail from day one, notwithstanding the fact that delegates from Lamka crisscrossed the Imphal Valley for a meeting in Kangpokpi on July 29, 2025 were escorted to and fro by Assam Rifles personnel in an apparent bid to prop up a ragtag group of dissidents into a puppet and pliable formation,” the statement read.
The statement went on to criticize the Assam Rifles for escorting back the said delegation along NH-102B towards Aizawl on August 4.
The Zomi Council recalled its Annual General Assembly resolution dated May 11, 2024, which officially rejected the term ‘Kuki-Zo’ as a legitimate identity.”Accordingly, any organization bearing the name “Kuki-Zo Council” stands rejected and is unwelcome in all Zomi-inhabited areas, particularly within Churchandpur (Lamka) district and Lamka township. The Zomi Council hereby cautions the Kuki-Zo Council to choose to operate and set-up office only in areas where they are accepted, if any. This would ensure their future security and novel comfort, as opposed to resorting to deployment of armed guards in their residential areas on fictitious grounds of insecurity. Such reckless practices pose a direct threat to the security and well-being of innocent bystanders and the general public,” the statement further read.
Emphasizing unity among its nine constituent tribes, the Zomi Council urged government authorities to understand and respect the strong sense of ownership the people have over their ancestral lands. The Council reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the security, dignity, and well-being of the Zomi people.
