IMPHAL: Women belonging to the Kuki-Zo community across Sadar Hills in the Kangpokpi district assembled at Gamgiphai this morning to block the anticipated passage of Chief Minister N Biren Singh.
The protest was held to prevent Singh’s travel en route to the Liangmai Changa Ngee 2024 festival in the neighboring Senapati district of Manipur.
The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) had earlier delivered a strong warning to the Chief Minister before his scheduled visit, designating any attempt to enter Kuki-Zo areas as “provocative” and potentially “dangerous.”
CoTU had previously charged the Manipur CM with instigating violence against the Kuki-Zo community and warned that his presence could trigger violence in an already sensitive region.
The agitation began at around 9 am, with a large gathering of women keeping a close watch on the highway to prevent the CM Singh and other politicians and officials from the Meitei community from using it.
CoTU general secretary Lamminlun Singsit had warned the Chief Minister to stop attempting to enter Kuki-Zo-dominated areas, stressing that continued attempts to pass through Kuki-Zo territories would be seen as "trespassing" and could lead to further tensions, further deepening the communal rift in the state.
Lamminlun Singsit highlighted the community's resolve, stating that under CoTU’s guidance, the Kuki-Zo people would engage in all forms of protest against what they view as unauthorized entry into their areas by Meitei officials.
"This stand, he explained, is rooted in the Kuki-Zo community’s longstanding demand for a separate administrative structure—a demand that remains unmet amidst a backdrop of ongoing unrest in Manipur," Singsit asserted.
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