Sat Feb 15 18:17:10 UTC 2025: **Manipur President’s Rule: Kuki Group Welcomes Move, Demands Separate Administration**

IMPHAL, INDIA—The imposition of President’s Rule in violence-torn Manipur has been welcomed by the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), which hopes it will facilitate a peaceful resolution to the ethnic conflict. However, the KZC sharply criticized BJP leader Sambit Patra’s statement regarding Manipur’s territorial integrity, accusing the Meitei community of violating this integrity through violence against the Kuki-Zo people since May 2023.

The KZC alleges that the previous state government, led by N Biren Singh, engaged in ethnic cleansing, leading to the displacement of over 40,000 Kuki-Zo people, the destruction of thousands of homes and places of worship, and over 250 deaths. They maintain that the Kuki-Zo people are not separatists but have been separated from the rest of Manipur by the actions of the Meitei community.

While the BJP asserts its commitment to maintaining Manipur’s territorial integrity and preventing illegal infiltration, speculation mounts that they are seeking a leader acceptable to all communities. This comes amidst escalating demands from Kuki groups, including militant organizations, for a separate administration or Union Territory with an assembly, citing the ethnic clashes as justification for upgrading their previous demand for an autonomous council. The World Kuki-Zo Intellectual Council (WKZIC) notes that the demand for a separate state has existed since 1946-47.

Kuki leaders have stated that a political solution, specifically a separate administration, must be addressed before other issues, including the return of internally displaced people (IDPs) from both communities, can be tackled. Meitei leaders, however, view this as a manipulative tactic to establish a Kuki homeland and argue that discussions can proceed concurrently with the return of IDPs to their homes. A group of activists and academics recently argued at the UN Human Rights Council that the demand for an ethnocentric homeland is untenable given the diverse population of Manipur.

The conflict, which began in May 2023, has resulted in over 250 deaths and 60,000 IDPs. The future of Manipur remains uncertain under President’s Rule, with the path towards peace and reconciliation heavily dependent on navigating the complex demands and deeply entrenched grievances of the various communities involved.

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