Kuki-Zo Observe 32nd Remembrance Day with Candlelight Vigil in Kangpokpi

The Kuki-Zo community on Friday solemnly observed the 32nd Remembrance Day with a candlelight vigil at the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) office, Brig. M. Thomas Ground, Kangpokpi, marking the first Remembrance Day of the New Year amid the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur.

The observance was attended by leaders of various civil society organisations (CSOs), CoTU executives, and church leaders. A minute of silence was observed to pay homage to the fallen Kuki-Zo martyrs, followed by prayers for the bereaved families, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), and for the realisation of the community’s long-standing demand for a separate administration in the form of a Union Territory with Legislature.

Addressing the media on the sidelines of the programme, CoTU Joint Secretary Lamminlun Singsit said that, as unanimously resolved at a joint review meeting of all CSOs of Sadar Hills, Kangpokpi District, the 3rd of every month shall henceforth be observed as Remembrance Day.

“Accordingly, on January 3, 2026, the Kuki-Zo people assembled at the CoTU office to solemnly observe the 32nd Remembrance Day, honouring the supreme sacrifices of our martyrs and reaffirming our unwavering solidarity with all IDPs who have suffered the violent destruction of their villages, loss of property, and the tragic loss of loved ones,” Singsit said.

He announced that a complete shutdown would be strictly observed on every Remembrance Day. “All government offices, private institutions, educational establishments, and business entities shall remain closed without exception. No public or private programmes shall be organised. The Kuki-Zo community shall refrain from farming, travel, commercial activities, and all routine engagements as a mark of mourning, respect, and resistance against injustice,” he asserted.

Singsit further stated that the observance would be held simultaneously at five designated locations across Kangpokpi district—Martyrs’ Cemetery, Phaijang; Saikul Public Ground; Twilang Area; Leimakhong; and New Keithelmanbi Area.

It was also unanimously reaffirmed that May 3 shall be observed annually as Separation Day, symbolising what leaders described as the “irreversible rupture” caused by the ongoing crisis. The central observance will be held exclusively at Martyrs’ Cemetery, Phaijang, and marked by a 12-hour total shutdown, including a complete ban on vehicular movement.

“This collective decision reflects the unbreakable resolve of the Kuki-Zo people to remember their martyrs, stand firmly with their displaced brethren, and assert their dignity, history, and rightful existence. This resolution shall be observed in letter and spirit by all concerned,” Singsit said.

Stressing that the community now stands “completely and irreversibly separated from the majority Meitei community,” Singsit formally called upon the Government of India to recognise and implement the Kuki-Zo people’s “legitimate and constitutionally justified demand” for a separate administration in the form of a Union Territory with Legislature.