More Kuki-Zo Bodies Laud PUCL for its Report on Manipur Crisis

Following the release of the PUCL Tribunal report on the Manipur crisis, there has been an exchange of opinions and criticisms between the Kuki-Zo groups and the Meiteis over the report in recent days.

On the same day that a valley-based Meitei organization, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity, launched criticism of the tribunal report, two Kuki-Zo bodies — the Kuki Organization for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR) and the Kuki-Zo Women Forum Delhi — extended their appreciation to the PUCL for its report on the Manipur crisis.

The Kuki Organization for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR), in a release, expressed its deep appreciation for the courage and determination of the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) in releasing what it called the most detailed and extensive report to date on the "State-sponsored ethnic cleansing in Manipur."

"At a time when truth has often been obscured or ignored, PUCL's effort stands as a critical intervention that sheds light on the genesis of the violence, the complicity of the state, and the evident bias of sections of the media," said KOHUR.

The PUCL Tribunal report highlights, with clarity, how the absence of reliable and independent media outlets within the minority Kuki community has allowed one-sided narratives to dominate public discourse.

"The report documents the silences and distortions that have shaped perceptions, while carefully situating these within the lived realities of those who have suffered displacement, discrimination, and targeted attacks," the release stated.

Importantly, KOHUR noted that the PUCL's findings do not stand in isolation. They substantiate and build upon previous efforts — including the Editors Guild of India’s report — and resonate with observations made during multiple hearings before the Supreme Court of India.

"In cases such as Lhunkhongam v. State of Manipur & Anr., the Court itself made the remarkable observation that it 'does not trust the state government of Manipur,'" KOHUR added. "PUCL’s meticulous documentation, therefore, reinforces a pattern already acknowledged by other independent bodies and the judiciary itself."

KOHUR stated that the report has once again set the record straight, and it provides not only an invaluable account of the causes and consequences of the violence but also a benchmark for future reference.

"The courage demonstrated by PUCL in compiling and publishing this report under difficult circumstances reflects the very essence of civil liberties work — standing with the vulnerable, exposing injustice, and holding institutions accountable," the statement added.

Commending PUCL for its unwavering commitment to truth and justice, KOHUR emphasized that the report will remain a significant contribution to the historical and legal record of the "ethnic cleansing" and will serve as an essential resource for all those seeking accountability and reconciliation.

Meanwhile, the Kuki-Zo Women Forum Delhi also extended its profound appreciation to the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) and the distinguished Independent People’s Tribunal on the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur for unveiling what it described as a painstaking and indispensable report on the tragic unrest in the state.

“This report — released on August 20, 2025, at the Press Club of India, New Delhi — confirms what many of us, especially Kuki-Zo women, have long felt: the violence that erupted on May 3, 2023, was not spontaneous, but rather planned, ethnically targeted, and facilitated by state failures,” the forum stated.

The Forum noted that the Tribunal's conclusion — that the violence was orchestrated and ethnically specific — validates the experiences of countless survivors. The report recounts, in harrowing detail, killings, mutilations, public disrobing of women, gang rapes, torture, and humiliation — all too often exacerbated by the state's inaction or, worse, its complicity.

The report also dismantled fabricated narratives, such as the portrayal of Kukis as "illegal immigrants" from Myanmar or being linked to poppy cultivation — narratives used to vilify the community.

"The Tribunal’s recommendations for meaningful redress — like setting up a Special Investigation Team (SIT), establishing a permanent High Court bench in the hill region, prosecuting hate speech, and restoring constitutional order — are critical. Such recommendations bring us hope for justice, reconciliation, and healing," stated the release.

The Kuki-Zo Women Forum Delhi reinforced its call for urgent action on the implementation of the Tribunal's recommendations.