SENAPATI, Feb 27: The Kuki-Zo Community Village Volunteers Coordinating Committee (VVCC) of Manipur has expressed their willingness to lay down arms if their four-point demands are met by the government. The committee urged the Central government to take immediate action to restore peace, security, and normalcy for the tribal communities in the state.
The VVCC claimed that since the outbreak of violence on May 3, 2023, the Kuki-Zo community has been subjected to continuous attacks by state-sponsored militia groups and other outfits. “The continued atrocities and lack of government protection have forced us to take up arms in self-defence,” the committee stated in a release.
Their four key demands include the creation of a separate administration (Union Territory with legislative powers) for Kuki-Zo tribal-inhabited areas, the withdrawal of Manipur Police from Kuki-Zo areas, the total surrender of looted arms by Meitei groups, and legal protection for Kuki-Zo village volunteers.
The VVCC also acknowledged the appeal made by Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla to surrender all illegal arms. They reiterated their commitment to laying down arms in the interest of lasting peace and security in the state, provided their demands are addressed. “We firmly believe that these goals can only be achieved if the demands are met,” the committee said in its statement.
