The Kuki-Zo Women’s Forum on Wednesday, October 21, demanded the reimposition of President’s Rule in Manipur, arguing that the prolonged crisis in the state is fundamentally a political issue rather than a security problem. The organisation said deploying additional security forces had failed to resolve the violence and called on the Centre to accelerate political dialogue to address the underlying tensions. Its demands come amid renewed attacks, killings and insecurity affecting communities in Manipur’s hill districts.

Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi, Ginza Vualzong, a spokesperson for the Kuki-Zo Council, said the community’s demand for a separate administration was essential for its survival. The forum called for a Union Territory with a legislature for the Kuki-Zo people, maintaining that the proposal was not a demand to separate from India but an attempt to secure safety, dignity and constitutional protection. It urged the central government to pursue a political settlement rather than rely primarily on security deployments.

The forum also called for President’s Rule to be reinstated, claiming that Kuki-Zo civilians felt safer during the period when the state was under direct central administration. Vualzong claimed that 32 members of the community had been killed since the formation of the new state government and said the community had not experienced violence-related deaths during President’s Rule. These figures and assertions were presented by the forum and have not been independently established in the available report.

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Another major demand concerns alleged attacks on Kuki-Zo civilians and suspected violations of the ceasefire agreement involving the National Socialist Council of Nagalim-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM). The forum sought an investigation into the allegations and called for accountability wherever violations are established. It also demanded compensation for the families of the 32 people it said had been killed, along with assistance for residents whose houses were reportedly burned during attacks.

The organisation identified several villages, including Thawai Kuki, Mullam, Songphel, Loibol, Kultuh, N Teikhang and Chassad, as vulnerable to alleged armed attacks and arson. It said Chassad village in Kamjong district had suffered repeated incidents of arson and reported that an attack on October 17 claimed the life of Seikhohao Haokip. The forum called for stronger protection for vulnerable settlements, improved access to essential commodities and medical services, and an end to what it described as selective National Investigation Agency operations against civilians.

The press conference was held under the theme “Stop the ambushes. Stop the killings. Protect Kuki-Zo civilians.” The forum’s demands highlight the continuing challenges facing Manipur, where political disagreements and inter-community tensions have persisted despite changes in administration and security measures. The organisation urged the Centre to prioritise dialogue, investigate alleged abuses and establish a political arrangement that it believes would provide lasting protection for the Kuki-Zo community.

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