KNO, UPF Reassert Demand for Union Territory With Legislature; Say Census Must Precede NRC

The Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People’s Front (UPF), currently under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the Government of India, have renewed their demand for a Union Territory with a legislature for the Kuki-Zo people of Manipur.

The organisations also called for a complete and credible Census to be conducted before any exercise to update or prepare a National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state.

Addressing media persons at Press Club of India in New Delhi today, KNO leader Seilen Haokip and UPF leader Aaron Kipgen said the political and ground realities in Manipur had fundamentally changed since the outbreak of violence on May 3, 2023. They pointed to the prolonged displacement and physical separation of communities, along with what they described as a breakdown of trust and failure of the existing state machinery to ensure the security of Kuki-Zo people.

UT with legislature called an “existential necessity”

The Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People’s Front (UPF), currently under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the Government of India, have renewed their demand for a Union Territory with a legislature for the Kuki-Zo people of Manipur.

The organisations also called for a complete and credible Census to be conducted before any exercise to update or prepare a National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state.

Addressing media persons at Press Club of India in New Delhi today, KNO leader Seilen Haokip and UPF leader Aaron Kipgen said the political and ground realities in Manipur had fundamentally changed since the outbreak of violence on May 3, 2023. They pointed to the prolonged displacement and physical separation of communities, along with what they described as a breakdown of trust and failure of the existing state machinery to ensure the security of Kuki-Zo people.

UT with legislature called an “existential necessity”

The KNO and UPF said their earlier demand for a territorial council within Manipur was no longer adequate in view of developments since May 2023.

“The complete physical separation of populations, the displacement of our people, and the failure of the existing state machinery to protect us have made reintegration impossible,” the organisations said. They called for a Union Territory with a legislature under Article 239A of the Constitution to become the central issue in political negotiations between the Centre and Kuki-Zo representatives.

“A Union Territory with a legislature is now an existential necessity, not a bargaining point,” they said.

The organisations cited security, protection of land and customary rights, and the need for a permanent political settlement as the principal reasons behind their demand.

According to the groups, the Kuki-Zo community can no longer be assured of its security under the existing administrative arrangement. They also argued that traditional land ownership, customary practices and community rights in the hill areas require a separate constitutional and administrative framework.

The organisations maintained that their demand does not amount to a call for secession from India and urged the Centre to make the proposed Union Territory the principal subject of a time-bound political dialogue under the SoO framework.

Census should come before NRC, groups say

The KNO and UPF also opposed any move to update or prepare an NRC in Manipur before a comprehensive Census is conducted.

They specifically objected to proposals that would use 1951 as the sole or primary baseline for determining citizenship or residency in the hill areas.

“Census is the only credible national instrument to establish population facts. NRC first is premature and risks being used to target our community,” the leaders said.

The organisations argued that claims regarding abnormal population growth, demographic changes or illegal immigration involving the Kuki-Zo population should be assessed using officially collected and verifiable data rather than political assertions.

They also questioned the reliability of using 1951 records as the principal benchmark in the hill areas, claiming that limited connectivity and access to government institutions at the time may have resulted in incomplete enumeration in some remote settlements.

The groups further argued that the NRC is a national exercise and questioned the basis for undertaking such a process selectively in Manipur before the latest Census has been completed and its findings made available.

Appeal to Centre for time-bound political process

The KNO and UPF reiterated their commitment to the Suspension of Operations agreement and said they remained committed to pursuing a peaceful and constitutional political settlement.

They maintained that the prolonged displacement of Kuki-Zo people and the physical division of communities since May 2023 had created a new ground reality that could not be addressed simply by restoring the pre-2023 administrative arrangement.

The organisations urged the Government of India to recognise the changed circumstances and initiate a time-bound political dialogue on their demand for a Union Territory with a legislature.

They also called on the Centre to complete the Census before undertaking any NRC exercise and said questions relating to demographic changes and citizenship should be addressed through transparent and constitutionally grounded procedures.

“We remain committed to a peaceful and constitutional settlement within the framework of the Constitution of India. The Government of India must now address the political aspirations and security concerns of the Kuki-Zo people without further delay,” the leaders said.

“The complete physical separation of populations, the displacement of our people, and the failure of the existing state machinery to protect us have made reintegration impossible,” the organisations said. They called for a Union Territory with a legislature under Article 239A of the Constitution to become the central issue in political negotiations between the Centre and Kuki-Zo representatives.

“A Union Territory with a legislature is now an existential necessity, not a bargaining point,” they said.

The organisations cited security, protection of land and customary rights, and the need for a permanent political settlement as the principal reasons behind their demand.

According to the groups, the Kuki-Zo community can no longer be assured of its security under the existing administrative arrangement. They also argued that traditional land ownership, customary practices and community rights in the hill areas require a separate constitutional and administrative framework.

The organisations maintained that their demand does not amount to a call for secession from India and urged the Centre to make the proposed Union Territory the principal subject of a time-bound political dialogue under the SoO framework.

Census should come before NRC, groups say

The KNO and UPF also opposed any move to update or prepare an NRC in Manipur before a comprehensive Census is conducted.

They specifically objected to proposals that would use 1951 as the sole or primary baseline for determining citizenship or residency in the hill areas.

“Census is the only credible national instrument to establish population facts. NRC first is premature and risks being used to target our community,” the leaders said.

The organisations argued that claims regarding abnormal population growth, demographic changes or illegal immigration involving the Kuki-Zo population should be assessed using officially collected and verifiable data rather than political assertions.

They also questioned the reliability of using 1951 records as the principal benchmark in the hill areas, claiming that limited connectivity and access to government institutions at the time may have resulted in incomplete enumeration in some remote settlements.

The groups further argued that the NRC is a national exercise and questioned the basis for undertaking such a process selectively in Manipur before the latest Census has been completed and its findings made available.

Appeal to Centre for time-bound political process

The KNO and UPF reiterated their commitment to the Suspension of Operations agreement and said they remained committed to pursuing a peaceful and constitutional political settlement.

They maintained that the prolonged displacement of Kuki-Zo people and the physical division of communities since May 2023 had created a new ground reality that could not be addressed simply by restoring the pre-2023 administrative arrangement.

The organisations urged the Government of India to recognise the changed circumstances and initiate a time-bound political dialogue on their demand for a Union Territory with a legislature.

They also called on the Centre to complete the Census before undertaking any NRC exercise and said questions relating to demographic changes and citizenship should be addressed through transparent and constitutionally grounded procedures.

“We remain committed to a peaceful and constitutional settlement within the framework of the Constitution of India. The Government of India must now address the political aspirations and security concerns of the Kuki-Zo people without further delay,” the leaders said.