KIM Presses Govt to Rescue Remaining Hostages as Massive Protest Rocks Kangpokpi

Thousands of Kuki-Zo men, women, elders, and youths flooded the streets of Kangpokpi in a massive show of anguish and unyielding solidarity, turning the district headquarters into a thunderous epicentre of one of the most powerful democratic uprisings witnessed in recent months.

The Kuki-Zo people were protesting against the continued detention of 14 innocent Kuki-Zo civilians in Senapati while demanding justice for the brutal killing of three revered Kuki-Zo church leaders.

From Nute Kailhang through the heart of Kangpokpi town to the gates of authority at the SP Office, an ocean of protestors marched shoulder to shoulder, hands locked in solidarity, placards raised high, and slogans reverberating across the hills, demanding the immediate, safe, and unconditional release of all Kuki-Zo hostages along with the urgent implementation of the Charter of Demands submitted to the Government.

The mass mobilisation was organised under the aegis of Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) and joined by major Kuki-Zo civil society organisations.

Amid roaring slogans, the protestors returned and converged at Brigadier M. Thomas Ground, where KIM Information Secretary Janghaolun Haokip, in the presence of leaders from various prominent Kuki-Zo organisations, addressed the massive gathering and declared that the democratic movement would continue until justice was secured.

Sunday’s shutdown brought normal life in Kangpokpi to a complete standstill. All business establishments remained shuttered, highways wore a deserted look, and public activity came to a near-total halt as KIM’s extended 48-hour total shutdown entered its second day.

Kuki-Zo civil society organisations under the aegis of KIM later held a crucial closed-door meeting at the office of the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) and resolved to extend the total shutdown by another 48 hours, citing the failure to secure the release of the 14 hostages and pressing the Government for the safe release of the remaining captives.

Addressing the media, Haokip said the principal demands of the Kuki-Zo democratic agitation remain the immediate, safe, and unconditional release of all remaining hostages and the urgent fulfilment of the Charter of Demands already placed before the Government.

He said four painful days had passed since the “tragic killing” of the three religious leaders belonging to the Kuki-Zo community — a tragedy that has shaken the community to its core and deepened fears of further bloodshed.

Acknowledging the Government’s initiative in facilitating the release of several detainees from both the Kuki-Zo and Naga sides over the past two days, Haokip said the continued captivity of several individuals remains a grave violation of constitutional and humanitarian principles and warned that the emotional suffering inflicted upon hostage families has reached unbearable levels.

Describing the partial release as an encouraging step, he made an earnest and heartfelt appeal to the authorities to intensify all efforts and take every necessary measure to ensure the safe and immediate release of those still held captive.

In a stern warning to authorities, he further stated that any continued failure to decisively intervene and secure the release of the hostages risks emboldening lawlessness and dangerously destabilising the already fragile situation in the region.

Haokip said the region stands “on the brink of a potentially violent conflict” and declared that the time had come to halt the spiral of bloodshed before the situation descends into an irreversible Kuki-Naga confrontation.

“Enough blood has been shed, and it must stop now,” he asserted in a direct appeal for peace, restraint, and collective wisdom.

Calling for urgent de-escalation, Haokip appealed to all stakeholders — including community leaders, civil society organisations, and Government authorities — to act with “utmost restraint and responsibility” and initiate immediate, concrete steps toward meaningful dialogue.

Cautioning both communities against falling prey to forces seeking to inflame divisions and destabilise society for vested interests, Haokip warned that any failure to exercise restraint at this fragile moment would only embolden those intent on provoking wider ethnic violence.

Meanwhile, the KIM Information Secretary Janghaolun Haokip also made it unequivocally clear that until the Charter of Demands is fulfilled, the Kuki-Zo people will continue their solemn mourning in honour of their slain martyrs while intensifying their democratic and constitutional struggle for justice, dignity, and security.

With the shutdown now extended and public mobilisation gaining unprecedented momentum, the message from Kangpokpi was fierce and unmistakable — the Kuki-Zo people’s grief has transformed into a resolute mass resistance, and their demand for justice, security, and accountability is only growing louder.