Normal life in the Kuki-Zo stronghold districts of Manipur was brought to a halt today as tribal movements imposed a “full shutdown.” The strike comes after a night of brutal killings in Churachandpur, in which protesters fought against local law enforcement and security forces because of a new regime.
Led by the Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) and the Joint Forum of Seven (JF7), there were still markets, schools and government facilities closed. Roads in the hill districts took that deserted turn as bandh supporters employed sticks and burning tyres to block main stops along the roads, such as the highway between Imphal and Mizoram. The Spark: Government Formation and “Betrayal”
These have been ignited by the signing in of the new NDA government under Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, which has concluded a year of President’s Rule in the state. Tensions erupted in particular over the inclusion of three Kuki-Zo legislators in the new cabinet:
- Nemcha Kipgen: Deputy Chief Minister (the first woman to serve as such in Manipur).
- L.M. Khaute & Ngursanglur Sanate: Attended the government formation process.
Protest groups have described this involvement as a “betrayal” of the community’s united front. Since the ethnic violence erupted in May 2023, Kuki-Zo groups have insisted on a "Separate Administration" (Union Territory) and previously guaranteed that their MLAs would refuse to enter any government until this condition was met.
Midnight Clashes in Tuibong
The violence escalated on Thursday evening in the Tuibong area of Churachandpur. Hundreds of young people protested the virtual swearing-in of Nemcha Kipgen to the government she had sworn her oath from Manipur Bhavan in Delhi. The protest devolved into a nine-hour standoff:
- Violence: A mob pelted stones and slingshots were fired against security guards.
- Retaliation: Security forces used batons and barrage the crowd with repeated tear gas shells to disperse them.
- Casualties: At least five people were reported injured in the fighting, which unfolded until 3:00 in the morning.
Current Situation
Further BSF and CRPF contingents have been sent to crucial spots and vicinity of the residences of the three “boycotted” MLAs to limit further vandalism. Although the Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights (KWOHR) put on a peaceful mass rally on Friday afternoon as a mass of women gathered to object the Kuki's opposition, this mood is extremely combustible.
At the same time, there are rifts among the tribal society. The Indigenous Tribes Advocacy Committee (consisting of Pherzawl and Jiribam) have cautioned against intimidation to MLA N. Sanate, urging solidarity between the Hmar, Kuki and Zomi tribes amidst political turmoil.
