The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) has supported the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) Governing Council’s decision for the Kuki-Zo people not to participate in the formation of the Manipur Government due to ongoing violence, displacement, and loss of trust among communities. The ITLF condemned the severe treatment faced by the Kuki-Zo, including killings, forced displacements, home destruction, and attacks on places of worship, with thousands of homes destroyed and over 40,000 people internally displaced.
The forum emphasized that the forced displacement from Meitei-dominated areas has irreversibly fractured trust and coexistence, making it untenable for the Kuki-Zo people to remain within the current administrative framework of Manipur. They expressed the necessity for a Separate Administration, formally requesting a Union Territory with a legislature from the Government of India. The ITLF believes that engaging with the Manipur Government under the current conditions lacks rationale.
Referring to previous events after violence erupted, the ITLF reminded that on May 12, 2023, Kuki-Zo MLAs requested a Separate Administration from the Union of India, a position they maintain. They further declared that no Kuki-Zo MLA should join the Manipur Government, warning that any deviation from this unified stance would be regarded as a betrayal of the Kuki-Zo people’s sacrifices. The press release was co-signed by Letpu Haokip, ITLF Chairman, and Elder Dr. Thangsuolien Sinate, General Secretary.