The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) has issued a scathing statement after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) granted bail to Thangminlen Mate, declaring it as “undeniable proof” that the Kuki-Zo people are being wrongfully framed and vilified in Manipur’s ongoing conflict.
According to the Council, the court found no prima facie evidence against Mate, exposing what it described as a “deliberate attempt to falsely implicate” a member of their community. KZC alleged that this was not an isolated case but part of a calculated agenda to criminalize the Kuki-Zo struggle for justice.
“The fabricated cases were first manufactured by the biased Manipur Police in collusion with Chief Minister Biren Singh, before being transferred to the NIA,” the statement read. “This chain of prejudice—from local authorities to a national agency—taints the judicial process and erodes public trust in fairness and impartiality.”
The Council further accused investigative agencies of double standards, pointing out that while innocent Kuki-Zos face fabricated charges, “the real perpetrators of heinous crimes” continue to roam free. It named Arambai Tenggol leader Kurunganba Khuman, allegedly involved in the killing of David Thiek, as one of several individuals explicitly named in FIRs yet shielded from accountability.
“This selective enforcement is not only a betrayal of justice but also a direct assault on the dignity, security, and rights of the Kuki-Zo people,” the statement declared.
Condemning what it called “disturbing bias, political manipulation, and double standards” within India’s justice system, the KZC demanded immediate and impartial action against those responsible for violence.
“The release of Thangminlen Mate is a wake-up call,” said Ginza Vualzong, Secretary of Information & Publicity, Kuki-Zo Council. “Justice delayed is justice denied, and when justice is denied to one community, it is denied to all."
The Hills Journal
K. Salbung, Churachandpur
Manipur-795128
