Kuki-Zo students protest, seek UT in Manipur
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 31
Hundreds of members from the Kuki-Zo community gathered in the National Capital on Saturday under the banner of the Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO). They demanded the formation of a Union Territory within Manipur for the Kuki-Zo tribals. The protest, held at Jantar Mantar, also called for the immediate arrest of Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh, holding him accountable for the violence that has engulfed the state.
Need own administration
The situation in Manipur has deteriorated to the point where we need our own administration. The education system, health system, everything in the Kuki-Zo areas has broken down. — Mercy Kipgen, Education Secretary, KSO
The Delhi-NCR unit of the KSO released a memorandum addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging swift action. “We are holding a protest today against the genocide of the Kuki-Zo community committed by the Manipur government,” said Tingbem Khongsai, spokesperson of KSO, Delhi and NCR.
“We are asking the central government to hold Biren Singh and the state government accountable for the atrocities committed against the Kuki-Zo community and even the Meitei people. People’s lives have been devastated because of the government’s greed for power,” he said.
The atmosphere at the protest site was charged, with traditional songs playing in the background. Khongsai explained, “The songs you hear are a cultural expression for us. Their lyrics encourage unity and courage. We even play these upbeat songs during funerals; it’s about the message, not the occasion.”
Paobul Haokip, coordinator of Kukinnpi Delhi, reflected on the deep-seated pain and betrayal felt by the Kuki-Zo community.
“We have lived together with the Meitei people for so long. I was born and raised in Imphal. My family has deep roots there—properties, assets, everything. We respected each other. We never imagined this would happen. We want the chief minister removed,” Haokip stated.
Mercy Kipgen, Education Secretary of the Kuki Students’ Organisation, expressed a sense of desperation. “The situation in Manipur has deteriorated to the point where we need our own administration. The education system, health system, everything in the Kuki-Zo areas has broken down.”
Among the protesters was Becca, a Kuki-Zo resident of Delhi for the past decade, who recounted her sister’s harrowing experience. “When violence broke out, my sister Hana was in her final year of MBBS in Delhi. She was in Imphal trying to start her first internship when riots broke out. She was trapped and had to stay in an Army camp for safety,” Becca shared.
Kim Haokip, media spokesperson for Kukinnpi Delhi, said, “We don’t want anything from Biren Singh. We want the central government to look into this matter. Physically, we are already separated from the Meitei community. We are not asking for a new state or country, just a Union Territory so we can live peacefully. After all the atrocities, we cannot go back to Imphal to live,” Haokip asserted.
The protesters, dressed in black as a symbol of their grief and resistance, also highlighted the economic hardships faced by students from Manipur. Ilheid Hokip, a student who came to Delhi for higher education, explained, “I was lucky to be able to continue my studies, but many students who fled Manipur have had to drop out to support their families. They take up low-wage jobs as waiters or workers just to send money back home.”
