Mon Dec 01 17:37:01 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the provided text:

Manipur: Kuki-Zo Council Protests Revival of Land Rights Law Amid Ethnic Tensions

NEW DELHI – December 1, 2025: The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), a coalition of civil society organizations representing the Kuki-Zo community in Manipur, has strongly condemned renewed efforts by the Manipur government to implement the Manipur Hill Areas (Acquisition of Chiefs’ Rights) Act, 1967. The law, which received Presidential assent decades ago but was never enacted, strips tribal chiefs of their traditional land ownership rights in the state’s hill areas.

The KZC’s objection follows a November 24th letter from the Manipur Home Department, instructing relevant departments to prioritize the issue after a request from the Manipur Meetei Tribes Union (MMTU), a non-tribal organization. The MMTU is advocating for the law’s implementation, claiming it will address land governance issues.

The KZC argues that initiating such a change amidst the ongoing ethnic conflict and displacement in Manipur is a “destabilizing” move that risks further escalation of tensions. The Council emphasized the disregard for tribal rights inherent in a non-tribal organization proposing fundamental changes to tribal land governance.

The KZC has called on the Governor of Manipur to intervene and prevent the law from being enacted under the current circumstances.

The Council also expressed concern over a recent North Eastern Council (NEC) announcement of a 2.13 crore sanction for a Hill Chiefs’ Guest House in Imphal, a location where Kuki-Zo chiefs and citizens cannot safely enter due to the ongoing conflict.

The issue of implementing the 1967 Act has been simmering for some time, with former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh stating in Parliament last year that his government intended to expedite its implementation. BJP MLA Rajkumar Imo Singh has also publicly supported the move. The KZC views these actions as further evidence of a disregard for tribal rights and a potential threat to the fragile peace in the region.

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