CoTU Urges GoI to Unbolt the Gates of Justice After 18 Months of Injustice

On the solemn occasion of the 18th Remembrance Day observance, the Kuki-Zo community called on the Central Government to unbolt the gates of justice after seventeen long months of enduring what they consider to be profound injustice.

Expressing deep disappointment over what it describes as the Central Government’s deliberate delay in delivering justice to the Kuki-Zo community, Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) General Secretary Lamminlun Singsit stated, "We seek justice in the form of a Union Territory with a Legislature—nothing less and nothing more—as a step towards self-determination and lasting peace."

"Justice lies in granting a Union Territory with Legislature, and it is the only path for lasting peace, as justice precedes peace," asserted Singsit.

“The justice we seek is the culmination of a prolonged struggle against oppression,” Singsit emphasized, pointing to issues such as discriminatory employment practices, resource misallocation, diversion of funds, and constitutional breaches, compounded by land seizures and oppressive policies under what he calls the current "majoritarian Meetei government."

Painting a vivid picture of the Kuki-Zo community that feels relegated to second-class citizenship in Manipur, Singsit asserted that the Kuki-Zo people, despite their equal status as Indian citizens, face persistent discrimination from the majority community. He argued that this situation mirrors the historical conflict between former West and East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, underscoring the urgency for fair governance and justice.

"On this somber occasion, as we reflect on a history of deep-rooted injustices inflicted both in the valleys and hills, where countless innocent lives have been lost in pursuit of justice, the Kuki-Zo people stand in shock and deep dismay over the Central Government's deliberate delay in addressing our rightful demand for Separate Administration—a Union Territory with Legislature," he said.

“It is the Central Government’s responsibility to protect and uplift the vulnerable Kuki-Zo minority from the cycle of false narratives and policies crafted by the current state administration,” Singsit maintained, urging the Union Government to prioritize justice over political expediency to resolve the ongoing conflict.

As the Kuki-Zo community commemorated the 18th Remembrance Day, Singsit remarked, "We mourn not only the past but also the ongoing realities of subjugation and discrimination under the current regime."

The commemoration of the 18th Remembrance Day at Martyrs' Cemetery in Phaijang, Sadar Hills, Kangpokpi District, was marked by mourning, a gun salute, floral tributes, condolences, and prayers.

Prominent Kuki-Zo leaders and various civil society organizations, along with CoTU executives and department leaders, attended the solemn observance.

While business establishments remained closed for the day in respect for the observance, unlike previous years, vehicular movement along the National Highway was not disrupted.