COCOMI's Bandh Exposes Its True Colours: A Meitei-Only Stunt, Not a Statewide Movement, Says Zomi Chiefs’ Association

The Zomi Chiefs’ Association (ZCA) has strongly condemned the 48-hour bandh called by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), asserting that the bandh has had no impact whatsoever beyond the “Meitei valley,” which comprises barely 10% of the state’s territory.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the ZCA stated that COCOMI has once again revealed its Meitei-only agenda, falsely portraying itself as a representative voice for the entire state of Manipur.

The association claimed that the bandh was neither statewide nor inclusive, but rather a staged drama enforced only in small pockets under COCOMI’s influence—clearly exposing the lies behind its self-declared mandate.

Stating that COCOMI does not represent all of Manipur but only Meitei interests, the ZCA added that COCOMI should drop its misleading name and adopt one that truly reflects its agenda: “Coordinating Committee on Meitei Integrity.”

"The incident only confirms the reality on the ground: Manipur, as once conceived, exists today only on paper," the release stated.

The association emphasized that the hill areas—which constitute 90% of Manipur’s landmass and are home to indigenous tribal communities—have long rejected what they describe as the discriminatory rule of the Meiteis.

According to the release, COCOMI’s outrage over the word "Manipur" being covered on a bus heading to Ukhrul is nothing more than a distraction from real issues—a clear case of manufactured outrage.

"While tens of thousands suffer displacement, militarization, and targeted violence in the hills, COCOMI remains conveniently silent," it stated. "Their demands for resignations and apologies reek of hypocrisy. They have never spoken for peace, justice, or inclusion—only for continued Meitei dominance."

ZCA stated:
“Let the truth be recorded: COCOMI is the same Meitei civil society organization that, in June 2023, openly declared a so-called 'Manipuri national war' against the Kuki-Zo people—a genocidal campaign aimed at the total annihilation of our people from Manipur. With full support from the state machinery under the direct leadership of N. Biren Singh, and through a brutal, coordinated offensive, they succeeded in forcibly expelling us from the Meitei heartland—the valley of Manipur (Kangleipak). This state-sponsored ethnic cleansing has effectively redrawn the ground reality.”

The release further stated that, ironically, the campaign of hate and bloodshed has reaffirmed the ancestral boundaries of the region—be it for the Meiteis or the Kuki-Zo people.

The association asserted that the idea of a forced union under one administration has failed, and that the only sustainable path forward lies in mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and recognition of historical and ethnic realities.

“Let there be no confusion: The Zo people have suffered long enough under the oppressive regimes of Meitei-dominated Manipur. Our calls for justice, equal rights, and dignity have been repeatedly crushed under the weight of systemic exclusion, militarized suppression, and deliberate indifference,” the ZCA stated.

The ZCA further emphasized that the path to peace is clear and cannot stem from maintaining a broken and unjust system.

"True justice, safety, and equitable governance for the Kuki-Zo people can only be realized through the creation of a separate Union Territory—a solution fully consistent with the constitutional framework of India," the release concluded.