IMPHAL, Dec 15: The apex body of Kuki tribes, Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), has reiterated its demand for a separate administrative arrangement for the Kuki-Zo people, endorsing the position of the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and the United People’s Front (UPF) in their ongoing dialogue with the Central Government.

In a statement issued on December 14, KIM praised the KNO and UPF for maintaining a consistent stand on the long-standing demand for a Union Territory with a legislature, calling it a reflection of the collective will, aspirations and historical political consciousness of the Kuki-Zo community.

The organisation said the prolonged ethnic conflict in Manipur has caused deep and irreversible fractures, making any meaningful reintegration with the Meitei community untenable under the present circumstances. It emphasised that the scale of suffering, displacement and loss endured by the Kuki-Zo people represents a lived reality that cannot be overlooked.

Clarifying its position, KIM stressed that the demand for a separate administration is not confrontational or exclusionary, but a democratic and peaceful assertion of the community’s right to dignity, safety and self-governance. Such an arrangement, it said, is necessary to ensure protection, equity, and effective political and administrative representation.

“The demand is the only viable solution towards lasting peace, dignity and self-governance,” the statement said, adding that political and administrative frameworks must align with ground realities to prevent further alienation and injustice.

KIM further urged the Central Government to continue engaging with sincerity and sensitivity, taking into account the lived experiences and legitimate concerns of the Kuki-Zo people, and to move decisively towards a resolution that ensures long-term stability, justice and peace in the region.