Imphal, Feb 9: Amid continuing unrest in Manipur’s Churachandpur area, Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) leader Ginza Vualzong has launched a sharp attack on Kuki-Zo MLAs who have joined the Manipur government, terming their decision a betrayal of their own community.
Speaking to reporters, Vualzong said the Kuki-Zo leadership had clearly opposed any participation in the present Manipur government. He asserted that the Kuki-Zo council had already resolved that any MLA choosing to join the government would do so in an individual capacity and would bear full responsibility for the consequences of that decision.
Referring to the prolonged ethnic conflict between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities over the past three years, Vualzong highlighted the scale of devastation suffered by the Kuki-Zo people. He said more than 200 members of the community had lost their lives, nearly 7,000 houses had been destroyed, and churches and other places of worship in the Imphal Valley had been vandalised. According to him, over 40,000 people were displaced, and incidents of grave humiliation, including women being paraded naked, had deeply scarred the community. Against this backdrop, he said, the decision of certain MLAs to align with what he described as a Meitei-dominated government was unacceptable.
Vualzong clarified that the recent protests were not acts of organised violence but an outpouring of public anger and frustration directed at the MLAs who joined the government. He alleged that these leaders had prioritised personal political careers over the collective suffering and sentiments of their people, which, he said, explained the backlash they were facing on the ground.
Reiterating the ITLF’s political position, Vualzong said the Kuki-Zo community no longer has faith in the current state administration, which he described as closely aligned with the Meitei community. He stated that this loss of trust has strengthened the demand for a separate administrative arrangement for the Kuki-Zo people.
He also recalled that during the ITLF’s most recent joint meeting in Guwahati, the organisation had decided not to take part in the formation of a new government unless both the state and central governments provided written assurances addressing the political demands of the Kuki-Zo community. “We do not expect anything from this government,” Vualzong said, underscoring the depth of disillusionment within the community.
