Kuki-Zo Women Stage Protest Against Alleged Meitei Trespassing Attempts at Thangting Hills

In a powerful display of solidarity and resistance, thousands of Kuki-Zo women staged a sit-in protest at N. Zalenphai village and other frontline areas including Gothol and Khousabung, voicing strong opposition to alleged attempts by the Meitei community to conduct rituals at the disputed Thangting Hills, which the Meitei referred to as 'Ching-Kaba'.

The protests were sparked by what the Kuki-Zo community described as repeated encroachment efforts under the guise of religious rituals. The demonstrators, holding placards reading “Go Back Meitei,” “Respect Buffer Zones,” and “Don’t Politicise Ching-Kaba,” condemned the move as an infringement on their land and identity.

The sit-in at N. Zalenphai was attended by various civil society organisation (CSO) leaders. DJ Haokip, General Secretary of the Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO) Churachandpur, told the media that religion should not be weaponised for political or territorial gains. “This frequent attempt by the Meiteis to encroach or trespass is uncalled for. We are not opposed to rituals of any religion, but manipulating religion to suppress others is not freedom of religion,” he stated.

At Gothol, Henlianthang Thanglet, Chairman of the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), addressed the gathering, expressing dissatisfaction over recent talks held with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in New Delhi on April 5. He stated that the KZC returned without signing any agreements, emphasizing that their actions would align with the will of the people. “Our struggle will not go in vain. We will fight together until our desired goal is achieved,” he assured the crowd.

The coordinated protests across multiple villages highlighted the growing tensions over territorial rights and cultural preservation in the region. The demonstrators called for respect for buffer zones and demanded that their churches be rebuilt before any religious events by the Meiteis are allowed in the contested areas.

During the sit-in, womenfolk could be seen holding placards with messages such as: 'Go Back Meitei,' 'Respect Buffer Zones,' 'The Hills are Safe Without Meiteis,' 'No Forced Intrusion,' 'No Forced Trespassing,' 'Don't Politicise Chingkaba,' 'Religion is Sacred, Don't Use It as a Scapegoat,' and 'Rebuild Our Churches First, Don't Politicise Religion,' among others.