Kuki-Zo Peaceful Justice Rally Decries Erasure of 14 Killings, 13 Razed Villages from Public Discourse; Demands Justice Amid 'Selective Silence'

Hundreds of members of the Kuki-Zo community on Friday staged a peaceful justice rally at the Kangpokpi district headquarters, demanding justice for the killing of three Kuki-Zo church leaders and raising what they described as the continued neglect of the deaths of Kuki-Zo civilians and the destruction of their villages during the ongoing conflict.

The rally was organised by the Kuki Christian Leaders' Forum (KCLF), with participants carrying placards and banners demanding justice, accountability and equal recognition of the suffering endured by the Kuki-Zo community.

Following the rally, members of the KCLF and the peaceful demonstrators marched to the official residence of Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen. Although the Deputy Chief Minister was not present, the delegation submitted a detailed memorandum to her representative, urging to place their grievances before the State Cabinet and the Union Government.

In the memorandum, the Kuki Christian Leaders' Forum sought justice for Kuki-Zo victims, protection of Kuki-Zo land and villages, and condemned what it termed selective media coverage and state narratives surrounding the ongoing violence.

The memorandum stated that the Kuki-Zo church leaders, civil society organisations and the wider Kuki-Zo community write to you with heavy hearts, deeply aggrieved by the continuing violence, loss of innocent lives, and the disturbing silence and imbalance surrounding the tragedies that have befallen our people.

While acknowledging that the conflict has inflicted suffering on multiple communities, the Forum alleged that public discourse has disproportionately focused on the deaths of six Nagas while overlooking what it described as the extensive devastation suffered by the Kuki-Zo community during the same period of violence.

The memorandum drew immediate attention to what it described as "grave injustices that have been met with absolute silence."

According to the memorandum, 14 Kuki-Zo individuals have been killed in recent incidents, yet their names and deaths "remain largely unacknowledged in mainstream discussions and peace-building dialogues."

It further alleged that 13 Kuki-Zo villages were attacked, burnt and reduced to ashes, leaving hundreds of families displaced, homeless and deprived of their ancestral lands.

The Forum also highlighted what it described as the brutal ambush and killing of three Kuki-Zo church leaders, calling it one of the gravest attacks on the community's faith and social fabric. It said the three religious leaders were men of peace who had worked tirelessly for the spiritual welfare of the community before being ambushed and killed.

The memorandum further asserted that the conflict did not occur in isolation but was triggered by "continuous and systemic attacks targeting vulnerable Kuki-Zo villages." It alleged that selective mourning by the State and sections of the media while ignoring the deaths of 14 Kuki-Zo people and the destruction of 13 villages amounted to "an insult to the principles of justice and human dignity," adding that "justice cannot be partial."

Placing a series of demands, the Kuki Christian Leaders' Forum called for an impartial investigation and accountability, seeking the immediate institution of a high-level independent inquiry into the burning of 13 Kuki villages and the killings of 14 Kuki civilians. The memorandum alleged the involvement of NSCN (IM) and ZUF (K) in the incidents and demanded that those responsible be brought to justice.

The Forum further demanded protection of Kuki-Zo land and villages, urging the State Government to ensure robust security deployment to safeguard remaining Kuki-Zo villages from ongoing attacks while securing their ancestral lands and protecting the lives and welfare of the people.

Seeking rehabilitation and compensation, the memorandum urged the government to provide immediate and comprehensive assistance to rebuild the 13 villages allegedly attacked and burnt, and to ensure the safe rehabilitation of displaced families.

The memorandum also demanded equal recognition of grief and truth, urging the government to address what it termed a one-sided narrative by acknowledging the losses suffered by the Kuki-Zo community and ensuring that the State machinery acts impartially in protecting all tribal citizens without bias.

Concluding the memorandum, the Forum appealed to the Deputy Chief Minister, stating, "As our representative in the highest echelons of power, we look to your leadership to ensure that our pain is not erased, our dead are not forgotten, and our lands are protected."

It further expressed hope that the Deputy Chief Minister would urgently convey the community's grievances to both the State Cabinet and the Union Government for immediate intervention.