Thousands of Kuki-Zo people took to the streets of Kangpokpi District Headquarters today in a massive public rally, organised under the aegis of the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), Sadar Hills, amid a complete district-wide shutdown.
The rally participants marched from Nute Kailhang to the Deputy Commissioner’s Office via National Highway-2, raising thunderous slogans condemning what they alleged as “arbitrary and targeted arrests” of Kuki-Zo individuals by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). They were joined by civil society leaders, village chiefs, youth organizations, and concerned citizens from across the district in a show of solidarity against alleged injustices.
To reinforce the protest, a total shutdown from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM was strictly observed across the district. Shops, private institutions, educational centres, and all transport services—including autos and taxis—remained closed. Even agricultural activities, including jhum cultivation and travel, were suspended for the day as the community stood united in protest.
At the DC Office in Kangpokpi, leaders of CoTU, along with representatives of various civil society organisations, submitted a joint memorandum addressed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah through the Deputy Commissioner of Kangpokpi.
The memorandum—endorsed by the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), Kuki Inpi Sadar Hills, Sadar Hills Chiefs’ Association (SAHILCA), Kuki Women Union Sadar Hills, Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights, Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) Sadar Hills, and CoTU Women Wing—voices deep concern over what it calls the “rampant and selective arrests” of Kuki-Zo Village Volunteers by national investigating agencies, including the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
“These actions,” the signatories warn, “have caused widespread anxiety, fear, and mistrust within our people, who are already reeling from violence, displacement, and loss.”
The memorandum asserts that such aggressive and imbalanced actions not only threaten the peaceful existence of the Kuki-Zo people but also endanger fragile trust-building efforts amid the ongoing ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities. It cautions that the continued targeting of Village Volunteers—who have defended their communities amidst state failure—may derail any prospects of lasting peace and reconciliation.
In their collective appeal, the civil society bodies urged the Union Government to:
- Immediately halt the ongoing arbitrary arrests of Village Volunteers until a fair and inclusive mechanism is in place;
- Ensure impartial investigations that address violations by all sides involved in the conflict;
- Launch confidence-building measures by engaging communities through a neutral platform;
- Initiate meaningful dialogue with full recognition of the conflict’s ethnic, historical, and territorial context; and
- Protect the dignity and safety of Village Volunteers who have been on the frontlines defending their people.
Diana Haokip, a representative of the CoTU Women Wing, speaking to TDG stated, “These arrests are arbitrary as no public notice was given. Those arrested were village volunteers. We want justice and transparency.”
