KUKI People's and Indian Politics

KZC Press Release - 22 March 2026

Why the Kuki-Zo Are at the Receiving End

The Unavoidable Truth

"They’re not fighting everyone. Everyone is fighting over where they live".

When violence erupts in Manipur, headlines often ask: “Why are the Kukis in conflict again?”—as if conflict is their choice, their habit, or their fault. But the reality on the ground tells a different story. The Kuki-Zo people aren’t instigators of chaos. They are the ones consistently on the receiving end—not because they provoke, but because their homeland sits at the collision point of two powerful and expansionist ethno-nationalist projects.

Here’s why—clearly, factually, and without distortion.

1. Their Land Is the Prize—Not Their People

The Kuki-Zo inhabit a strategic arc of hills stretching from Churachandpur to Tengnoupal—territory that links the Imphal Valley to Myanmar and borders Naga-dominated districts. This land is:

• Rich in forests, water sources, and biodiversity
• Critical for national security (bordering Myanmar)
• Seen as “underutilized” by valley elites
• Claimed as “historically Naga” by armed Naga groups

Result: Both Meitei and Naga political movements view Kuki areas as territory to be integrated, not as homelands to be respected. The Kukis aren’t attacked for who they are—but for where they stand.

> In the 1990s, over 350+ Kuki villages were burned down and 1000+ people were killed by NSCN (IM)—not in retaliation, but to “ethnically cleanse” areas claimed for Nagalim.
> From 2023 to the present, Meitei mobs have targeted Kuki homes in the valley and hill peripheries, fueled by rhetoric that labeled them “illegal settlers” and “demographic threats.”

In both cases, the Kukis were defending—not invading.

2. They Lack the Political Armor Others Have

- The Meiteis dominate state institutions, media, bureaucracy, and have strong civil society networks in the valley.
- The Kaccha Nagas have decades-old armed movements (like NSCN-IM) with international recognition, ceasefire agreements, and a unified territorial narrative.

- The Kukis? They are politically fragmented across dozens of sub-tribes, with competing armed groups, no single political voice, and minimal representation in state power structures.

• In ethnic politics, weakness is vulnerability.
• When you lack unity, arms, or institutional leverage, your land becomes easy to contest—and your people, easy to displace.

This isn’t a conspiracy—it’s strategy. History shows that communities without consolidated power are targeted first when territory is up for grabs.

3. State Policies Have Weaponized Identity

The Indian state’s approach in Manipur has deepened divisions:

- Armed patronage: At different times, both Naga and Kuki militias were used as proxy forces—arming communities against each other while denying them political solutions.
- Ambiguous boundaries: Hill district borders remain poorly demarcated, allowing rival claims to fester.
- Reservation competition: Instead of addressing economic inequality, the system pits ST groups against each other for jobs and education—turning policy into a battleground.

The result? Ethnic identity becomes a survival tool—and a target. Kukis are accused of “hogging reservations” by the Meiteis, while the kuki-zo's own fears of cultural extinction are ignored.

4. They Are Blamed for Defending Themselves

• When Kukis form village defense groups or demand autonomy, it’s framed as “militancy.”
• When they flee burning villages, they’re called “troublemakers.”
• When they speak of ancestral rights, they’re labeled “anti-Manipur.”

But what choice do they have?

* If you don’t defend your home, you lose it.
* If you do defend it, you’re called violent.

This is the double bind of the marginalized: punished for resistance, erased for having weak leadership and no unity.

5. No Space for Truth—Not Even Neutrality
During the 2023 violence, Meitei families who tried to speak the truth and stay neutral were attacked by Meitei militias:

• Meitei mobs accused them of “siding with the Kukis” and vandalised their properties.

• Hardline elements labeled them “traitors” for refusing to vilify the Kukis.

Truth-telling was silenced—replaced by false narratives, propaganda, and the threat of annihilation.

The Bottom Line

The Kukis are not “in conflict with everyone.”
They are caught between everyone’s ambitions—with no unified army command, no capital, and no veto power over decisions that decide their fate.

They are at the receiving end because:

- Their land is coveted
- Their unity is fractured
- Their leaders are easy to manipulate
- Their voice is drowned out
- Their defense is criminalized
- Their existence is seen as an obstacle

"This isn’t tribal animosity. It’s structural targeting".

Until the Government of India acknowledges that peace requires justice—not just ceasefire agreements—the Kukis will continue to pay the price for living in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The moment the SoO groups establish strong, unified leadership—with a cohesive command structure for security and a shared vision for policy-making—everything will fall into place. The recent conflict in Litan was a clear lesson in what weakness invites: when you are perceived as weak, everyone wants to pick a fight, frame it along ethnic lines, and take your land.

But ultimately, asking “why do they fight?” remains the wrong question.

The right one is: “Why do we keep trying to steal others’ land by killing its owners—and attempting to rewrite their history and future without them?”

🛑 You May Postpone the Truth, but You Cannot Obliterate History — Both Kuki and Thangkhul are Indigenous Tribes.

*KUKI TEN THINGNOI ENEI JAT HOU*

( 01 ) Kuki National Front (KNF)
( 02 ) Kuki National Army (KNA)
( 03 ) Kuki National Front - Military Council (KNF-MC)
( 04 ) Kuki Liberation Army(KLA)
( 05 ) Kuki Revolutionary Army(KRA)
( 06 ) Kuki National Front-Zougam (KNF-Z)
( 07 ) Kuki National Front Samuel(KNF-S)
( 08 ) Kuki National Front-Nehlun(KNF-N)
( 09 ) Kuki National Fron-President(KNF-P)
( 10 )Kuki National Army-India(KNA-I)
( 11 ) Kuki Revolutionary Army-Unification (KRA-U)
( 12 ) Kuki Revolutionary Army-Assam (KRA-A)
( 13 ) Kuki Revolutionary Front (KRF)
( 14 ) Kuki National Liberation Front (KNLF)
( 15 ) Kuki Liberation Army /Kuki Liberation Organization(KLA/KLO)
( 16 ) Kuki Liberation Army /Kuki National Organization(KLA/KNO)
( 17 ) Pakan Revolutionary Army (PRA)
( 18 ) United Kuki Liberation Front (UKLF)
( 19 ) United Old Kuki Liberation Army(UKLA)
( 20 ) United Tribal Liberation Army (UTLA)
( 21 ) United Minority Liberation Army (UMLA)
( 22 ) United Socialist Revolutionary Army(USRA)
( 23 ) United Kukigam Defence Army (UKDA)
( 24 ) United Tribal Liberation Army/United Tribal Liberation Front(UTLA/UTLF)
( 25 ) United People Democratic Solidarity(UPDS)
( 26 ) United Kuki Liberation Army- Military Council(UKLA-MC)
( 27 ) Zomi Revolutionary Army/Z Revolutionary Organization(ZRA/ZRO)
( 28 ) Zomi Revolutionary Front(ZRF)
( 29 ) Zou Defence Volunteer(ZDV)
( 30 ) Kuki People Liberation Army - India(KPLA-I)
( 31 ) Kuki United Frontal Organization(KUFO)
( 32 ) Thadou People Liberation Army (TPLA)
( 33 ) People Revolutionary Army (PRA)
( 34 ) Hmar People Council-Democratic(HPC-D)
( 35 ) Hmar National Army(HNA)
( 36 ) Kuki Liberation Front(KLF)
( 37 ) UK
( 38 ) UTP
( 39 ) Socialist Democratic Front of Kukiland (SDFK)
( 40 ) United Komrem Revolutionary Army(UKRA)
( 41 ) Kuki National Army-Burma ( NUG-PDF / KNA-B)
( 42 ) United People Revolutionary Front(UPRF)
( 43 ) Kuki National Front-Douthanglen (KNF-D)
( 44 ) United Kuki National Army ( UKNA )
( 45 ) Kuki Independent Army ( KIA/ KIO )
(46) Liberation tigers of tribal(LTT).
(47)United kuki national fron(UKNF)

*Namkhat thisen khat hina*
*KNO/KNA-B in Press Release abol*

Feb 11, 2026

GPRN/NSCN Suspends Ties with ZUF Over Kuki Village Attack

Kohima: Jan 27, 2026
The Government of the People’s Republic of Nagaland (GPRN)/National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) has expressed shock over the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) Kamson faction’s involvement in arson attacks on a Kuki village that endangered innocent civilians in villages. The group accused ZUF of hobnobbing with other Naga groups, violating the spirit of the merger declaration signed on 26 October 2019 by former ZUF Chairman Raitu Chawang and current Chairman S Kamson, as well as the GPRN/NSCN/ZUF Alliance Modalities of 28 October 2019.

The ZUF leadership, which had participated in Indo-Naga political negotiations and regularly attended Working Committee (WC) and Naga National Political Groups (NNPG) meetings, is alleged to have unilaterally engaged in communal and sectarian violence, actions deemed not in the interest of the Naga people. The GPRN/NSCN stated that such activities undermine Naga unity and peace efforts.

In response, the GPRN/NSCN under President Maj. (Retd.) R.M. Lotha and Ato Kilonser N Kitovi Zhimomi has suspended all formal agreements with the ZUF (Kamson) faction. The group has also withdrawn its representation and barred ZUF from participating in WC and NNPG events until the ZUF leadership adopts Naga-centric steps.

The decision was announced in a press release signed by Ato Kilonser N Kitovi Zhimomi, Convener of WC, NNPGs, emphasizing the need for Naga groups to adhere to agreed principles and prioritize the community’s interests over divisive actions.

Edited By: Kukiland Media

In Jiribam district, Manipur (bordering Assam), 10 Kuki-Zo tribal volunteers were killed on 11 November 2024 during a clash with Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel — described by authorities as an “encounter” after an attack on the **Borobekra Police Station and Jakuradhor CRPF post.”

Nearly one year later, in December 2025, the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in New Delhi directed the Government of India, Manipur Government, and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to file a status report on the investigation into the killings.

The Silchar Medical College & Hospital post-mortem report stated that most of the victims had bullet wounds predominantly from the back, raising serious questions about the nature of the incident.

If justice is real, it must be transparent — why was a gallantry award given when the case remains under investigation?

Follow ZalengamMedia for truth, accountability, and voices that demand answers.

📍 Jiribam, Manipur — India
📍 Supreme Court hearings — New Delhi

- ZalengamMedia

NSCN-U (Kitovi RM Lotha) terminates all agreements and privileges granted to ZUF(K) for violating the principle.

From a historical perspective, it is imperative that you, like some of the milong ZTF and others, relinquish your claim to this region. ZUF, whoever you may be, it is essential that you provide documentation to support your land claim and pursue legal recourse through the government courts, rather than resorting to violence and disrupting public order. Your actions demonstrate a clear disregard for the law and civic sense, and it is evident that you do not possess legal ownership of this land.

Joint Operation by Special Forces and Assam Rifles Launched Against ANEs in Kangpokpi, Churachandpur

Updated: Jan 16, 2026
In a firm and coordinated move to strengthen security and ensure lasting peace in the hill districts, a joint operation by elite Special Forces and the Assam Rifles was launched in the early hours of Friday, January 16, 2026, at Wainem Village in Kangpokpi District (KPI), targeting Anti-National Elements (ANEs) operating in the area.

According to official sources, the operation commenced at around 6:00 am following credible intelligence inputs indicating the presence and movement of armed elements engaged in activities threatening national security and public order. The operation is currently underway, with security forces maintaining a high state of alert and operational readiness.

The joint team, comprising highly trained personnel, cordoned off strategic locations in and around Wainem Village and initiated systematic search and area domination operations aimed at neutralizing threats, recovering illegal arms and ammunition, and dismantling hideouts allegedly used by ANEs. Utmost care is being taken to ensure the safety of civilians and to prevent any collateral damage during the course of the operation.

Officials stated that the ongoing operation reflects the unwavering resolve of the security forces to safeguard the sovereignty and integrity of the nation while restoring peace and stability in sensitive areas. Additional surveillance measures have been intensified to prevent the escape or regrouping of hostile elements.

Authorities have appealed to residents to remain calm, cooperate with the security forces, and promptly report any suspicious movement or activity. Further details are awaited as the operation continues and developments unfold.

The joint operation sends a strong and unambiguous message against anti-national activities and reiterates the commitment of the Special Forces and Assam Rifles to maintaining law and order in Kangpokpi district and its adjoining areas.

A similar Joint Operation was also conducted in Henglep Sub Division of Churachandpur district today.

The operation was jointly carried out by the Assam Rifles in collaboration with the Special Forces. As per inputs, the operation aims to wipe out the non-SoO group, the United Kuki National Army (UKNA), which is operating in the area.

It was also reported that the operation is aimed at the UKNA, as the non-SoO outfit had earlier warned a Kuki MLA over government formation.

Till the filing of this report, no casualties have been reported from either side.

Source: The Hills Journal