New Delhi, August 7: In a significant development aimed at resolving the ongoing ethnic tensions in Manipur, the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) held a key meeting with officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in New Delhi on Wednesday. The two-hour-long meeting focused on critical issues surrounding the current situation and the political aspirations of the Kuki-Zo people.
Describing the meeting as “positive and constructive,” KZC spokesman Ginza Vualzong stated that the Kuki-Zo delegation highlighted the urgent need for broader public consultations before any decisive steps are taken. He added that the MHA officials carefully took note of their concerns and expressed a continued willingness to engage in further discussions.
The eight-member KZC delegation was led by Chairman Henlianthang Thanglet and included prominent leaders from various tribes within the Kuki-Zo community.
The latest talks come in the backdrop of over two years of ethnic hostilities between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities in Manipur. Earlier this year, the MHA facilitated multiple rounds of separate meetings with both sides in New Delhi. On the Meitei side, representatives from the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), the All Manipur United Clubs Organisation (AMUCO), and the Federation of Civil Society Organisations (FOCS) participated in tripartite meetings.
The Kuki-Zo delegation, led by Thanglet, has consistently reiterated their demand for a separate administration — equivalent to a Union Territory with a legislative assembly — for the Kuki-Zo-Hmar tribal population. However, this demand has been rejected by both the Manipur state government and the Centre, as well as by Meitei civil society organisations.
