KUKI-ZO WOMEN DEMAND PRESIDENT’S RULE IN MANIPUR, DECLARE THREE YEARS OF SECURITY-LED RESPONSE A FAILURE
October 21, 2026
IMPHAL, OCTOBER 21: The Kuki-Zo Women’s Forum has demanded the reimposition of President’s Rule in Manipur, arguing that the prolonged crisis in the state is fundamentally political and cannot be resolved simply by deploying additional security forces.
At a press conference on Wednesday, the organisation called on the Centre to expedite political dialogue and address the demands of the Kuki-Zo community, including a separate administration in the form of a Union Territory with a legislature. The group maintained that such an arrangement was essential for the community’s survival, security and dignity.
Ginza Vualzong, spokesperson for the Kuki-Zo Council, said the community’s demand went beyond conventional political considerations and was directly connected to its ability to survive amid continuing violence.
“Our political demand is not merely a political demand. It is a question of our survival. We want to survive,” Vualzong said.
The spokesperson argued that the Centre’s approach had failed to resolve the crisis because it treated the situation primarily as a security problem. Despite the deployment of large numbers of security personnel over the past three years, the underlying political conflict remained unresolved, the organisation said.
The forum claimed that Kuki-Zo civilians had felt safer during the period of President’s Rule, asserting that no lives had been lost to violence within the community during that period. Vualzong alleged that 32 members of the community had been killed since the formation of the new government in Manipur and called for President’s Rule to be restored.
The organisation also demanded an investigation into alleged attacks attributed to the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM), as well as alleged violations of the ceasefire agreement involving the group. It called for accountability wherever violations were established.
The forum expressed particular concern about attacks and incidents of arson affecting vulnerable Kuki-Zo villages, including Thawai Kuki, Mullam, Songphel, Loibol, Kultuh, N Teikhang and Chassad. It alleged that Chassad village in Kamjong district had suffered repeated incidents of arson and said an attack on October 17 had killed Seikhohao Haokip.
Beyond political arrangements and security, the organisation sought ex gratia compensation for the families of the 32 people allegedly killed and for those whose houses had been burnt down in attacks. It also demanded protection for Kuki-Zo villages, access to essential medical services and commodities, and an end to what it described as selective National Investigation Agency operations against civilians.
The forum further called for accountability for alleged atrocities dating back to the 1990s, arguing that the grievances of the community required a comprehensive political response rather than an exclusively security-driven approach.
The press conference was held under the theme, “Stop the ambushes. Stop the killings. Protect Kuki-Zo civilians,” reflecting the organisation’s appeal for an end to attacks and greater protection for vulnerable communities.
Vualzong stressed that the demand for a separate administration did not amount to a demand for separation from India. Instead, the community was seeking a constitutional arrangement that would allow Kuki-Zo people to live with safety and dignity.
The forum’s demands place renewed pressure on the Centre to reconsider its handling of the Manipur crisis. Its central argument is that lasting peace requires political dialogue, accountability for alleged attacks and a settlement addressing the community’s demands, rather than reliance on security deployments alone.
