Manipur: Kuki Zo community takes out rallies, demands separate administration

Imphal/Churachandpur, Nov 29 (PTI) Thousands of Kuki Zo people on Wednesday hit the streets in several districts of Manipur demanding separate administration for the community.

In Churachandpur, agitators under the aegis of Zo United, an organisation of the community, undertook a three-km-long march from Lamka Public Ground to the 'Wall of Remembrance' near the DC office.

They urged the Centre to hasten the process of establishing a separate administration in areas of the state dominated by the Kuki Zo community.

The agitators submitted a memorandum to Union Home Minister Amit Shah through the deputy commissioner.

In the memorandum, Zo United said a separate administration was needed as Imphal, which has major government establishments, educational institutions, healthcare facilities and the lone airport in the state, has become inaccessible for the Kuki Zo people, including government officials and tribal MLAs, after the community's expulsion from the Imphal Valley since the commencement of ethnic strife in May.

On resource allocation, the memorandum claimed that only Rs 419 crore was allocated for the hills between 2017-18 and 2020-21, in contrast to Rs 21,481 crore for the valley during the period.

It also alleged that highways were being blocked by Meitei agitators, leading to obstruction in the entry of essential items to the hills.

The organisation accused the state government, including the police, of aligning with the Meiteis, and distributing government-issued firearms to members of the valley-based community for use against the tribals.

Alleging discrimination against Kuki Zo students, the memorandum said the prospects of equitable treatment in matters of government recruitment were bleak for the community.

Zo United convener Albert Renthlei said another memorandum was earlier submitted to the Centre over the issue but no reply was received.

"A separate administration is a must for the community as atrocities have been committed against us since May 3... now we can live with Meiteis only as good neighbours," he said.

Rallies were also brought out in Kangpokpi district under the leadership of the Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU) and in Mizoram-bordering Pherzawl district. Similar rallies were brought out in Tengnoupal, Saikul and Zampuitlang, and also in Delhi, Agartala, Bengaluru and Chennai.

Strict security arrangements were ensured in district headquarters and inter-district boundaries of Churachandpur and Bishnupur, and Kangpokpi and Imphal West districts to prevent any untoward incident, an official said.

A planned rally was, however, called off in Tangkhul Naga-dominated Ukhrul after the community raised objections to holding the stir in the district.

More than 180 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ongoing ethnic strife between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and hills-based Kuki Zo community in Manipur since May 3 this year. PTI COR ACD