Kuki Zo Women in Manipur Stage Sit-In Demanding Justice for Killing of Women, Children and Innocent Civilians

Kuki Zo women in Kuki Zo-inhabited districts of Manipur staged sit-in protests on Wednesday, demanding justice for the killing of Kuki Zo women, children and innocent civilians.

In Churachandpur, women from different parts of the district gathered at the Wall of Remembrance from 12 noon and staged a protest, holding placards that read, “Pregnant women are not targets,” “27 lives—we demand justice,” “Justice for innocent women,” “The government must answer,” “Silence is not an option,” “Accountability cannot wait,” and others.

Women leaders addressed the gathering and highlighted various crimes that they said have been committed against Kuki Zo women. The women leaders also submitted a memorandum to Union Home Minister Amit Shah through the Deputy Commissioner of Churachandpur.

Speaking to the media during the protest, Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights (KWOHR) spokesperson Rebecca Haokip said the protest was organised to seek justice for the “barbaric killing of women, children, pregnant women, innocent and unarmed civilians of the Kuki Zo community.”

Rebecca said, “In today’s protest, we specifically asked the Central Government for its urgent intervention against these crimes against our community. For the past several months, since March 2026, NSCN and Zeliangrong United Front have allegedly been attacking innocent Kuki Zo civilians and villagers who are unarmed.”

The spokesperson said that even women, young children and pregnant women were not spared. She said they were carrying out their daily chores, including working in paddy fields, when they were allegedly attacked and killed.

“So, the entire Kuki Zo women’s community strongly condemns these inhumane and barbaric killings of Kuki Zo women,” Rebecca said.

Rebecca said they had also prepared a memorandum appealing to the government to ensure that the killings were investigated and that independent investigating agencies such as the NIA or CBI, or any other appropriate investigating agency, be entrusted with conducting a proper investigation into the killings.

Rebecca said they also appealed to the government to ensure that all affected villages, victims, people and the injured are appropriately compensated for medical expenses and provided protection.

“We appealed to the government to secure Kuki Zo-populated areas by deploying central forces in the border or buffer zones where the Kuki Zo communities are living,” she said.

“We asked the government to thoroughly and impartially investigate all the killings and crimes that have been committed against the Kuki Zo people so that the perpetrators are caught and justice is served for the innocent victims.

“We place our faith in the constitutional institutions of the country, and the Central Government must intervene. Justice must be served, and the truth must be revealed and established.

“We do not want any woman to be killed. We do not want any child to suffer mercilessly. We genuinely seek that the Central Government must look into these matters urgently,” she added.

While speaking at the protest, Kuki Women Union president Ngaineikim said NSCN-IM and ZUF-K should “face the men instead of attacking innocent civilians and women.”

“Naga armed groups have killed many innocent Kuki Zo people. Yet, the Nagas, with the support of valley-based media houses, have publicised only the killing of six Naga men, which has overshadowed the killing of many Kuki Zo civilians by Naga armed groups,” Ngaineikim said.

“The bodies of Kuki Zo civilians killed by Naga armed groups will not be laid to rest just by simple assurances and negotiations,” she said.