Kuki-Zo groups set conditions to join govt formation in Manipur

Renewed backchannel efforts to reinstate an elected government in Manipur with the possible participation of Kuki-Zo MLAs suffered a setback on Tuesday (January 13) after the apex Kuki-Zo Council, Kuki-Zo legislators and militant groups under Suspension of Operations (SoO) unanimously resolved to make their participation conditional on a prior, written political commitment for a Union territory with legislature.

The consultative meeting, held in Guwahati, effectively redefined the terms of political engagement for the Kuki-Zo community, signalling that any attempt to revive the Manipur Assembly, which is in suspended animation since February last year, without addressing the community’s core political demand would be unacceptable.

Participation in popular govt

Sources indicate that informal discussions had gained momentum in recent weeks around the possibility of ending the prolonged political limbo in Manipur by reinstalling a popular government with the participation of all communities.

Also read: Saffron bridge, broken trust: Decoding RSS's Manipur gambit amid political vacuum

Kuki legislators remained largely disengaged from legislative and governmental functioning since the outbreak of ethnic violence in May 2023.

However, the Guwahati resolutions made it clear that the formation of any elected government must be preceded by a written and time-bound commitment from both the Centre and the prospective state government to support a negotiated political settlement for a UT with legislature for the Kuki-Zo people.

What resolution says

“Regarding the re-installation of an elected government in the state, the meeting resolves that: The new government must provide a written commitment to support the negotiated political settlement for UT with Legislature under the Constitution. This commitment must be executed in a time-bound manner, specifically within the current assembly tenure,” read the resolution.

Also read: BJP’s Meitei MLA Yumnam Singh ventures into Kuki villages to break the ice

In justifying their stance, the meeting recalled the ethnic violence of the past year, alleging targeted attacks and the complicity of state agencies, and noted the emergence of what it described as a de facto demographic and administrative separation lasting nearly 32 months.

The meeting further resolved that in the absence of “such political commitment from both the central and state governments”, the community’s representatives would refrain “from taking any part in the formation of an elected government in Manipur”.

Reiterating that the Centre must “expedite the political settlement to fulfil our demand for a Union Territory with legislature, along with adequate constitutional safeguards for the protection of our land and ownership rights”, the meeting said the settlement must be achieved before the next Manipur Assembly elections, due in 2027.