The civil society organizations of Sadar Hills, Kangpokpi's 48-hour total shutdown, have been strictly enforced across the entire Kangpokpi District since midnight on December 3.
All shops and markets remained completely closed throughout the day, disrupting normal life in the district. However, schools and vehicular movement were exempted from the purview of the shutdown.
The total shutdown was imposed following the Manipur Government's public appeal notification on the resumption of public transport services along the Imphal-Kangpokpi-Senapati and Imphal-Bishnupur-Churachandpur routes.
Hundreds of Kuki-Zo women were seen congregating at Gamgiphai—a strategic Kuki-Zo village in the fringe area bordering Kangpokpi and Imphal West—to block any attempt to enforce the government's decision to restart public transport services.
Addressing the media, Ng. Lun Kipgen, spokesperson for the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), reflecting the escalating tensions in Manipur, declared the Kuki-Zo community's unwavering opposition to what it deems a “partisan and baseless” government directive.
He recalled that the Manipur Government's order, issued from Imphal, mandates free vehicular movement from Imphal to Dimapur—a route the Kuki-Zo community has never obstructed by their actions.
Lambasting the directive as a deliberate attempt to vilify the Kuki-Zo community and undermine their struggle for separate administration, CoTU spokesperson Ng. Lun Kipgen emphasized, "The order is not only unwarranted but preposterous."
"It serves no purpose other than to project a distorted narrative against the Kuki-Zo people," Kipgen asserted.
Kipgen accused the state’s chief minister of persistently attempting to derail the Kuki-Zo movement, stating, "In his fourth desperate attempt, the chief minister has sought to impose vilified and unfounded ideas upon us, further exacerbating the divide."
Reaffirming their defiance, CoTU categorically rejected any orders emanating from Imphal. "We will enforce strict and democratic forms of protest until the government rescinds this partisan order. The Kuki-Zo community will not bow to coercion or manipulation," Kipgen warned.
Meanwhile, the Kuki Inpi Sadar Hills has strongly opposed the Manipur Government's recent directive to deploy Manipur State Transport (MST) buses in violence-affected areas amidst the ongoing Kuki Zo-Meetei conflict.
The Kuki Inpi criticized the move, calling it a reckless and insensitive attempt to restore public services without addressing the underlying political tensions.
The Kuki Inpi argued that deploying MST buses under heavy security in such volatile regions ignores the ground realities and could escalate an already precarious situation. "This decision risks endangering lives and reflects the state government’s insensitivity toward the plight of the Kuki-Zo community," it stated.
The Kuki Inpi warned that any incidents arising from this "ill-conceived" decision would place full responsibility on the state government.
Instead of enforcing transportation services in conflict zones, the Kuki Inpi proposed alternative routes for MST operations, including Moirang-Imphal-Sekmai; Gamgiphai-Kangpokpi-Tamenglong; Gamgiphai-Kangpokpi-Mao; Lamka (CCPur)-Saungdoh-Lamka; Kakching-Imphal-Moirang; and Pallen-Moreh-Pallen.
The organization urged the government to prioritize addressing the political demands of the Kuki-Zo community and work toward lasting peace in the region. “Deploying buses without resolving the root cause of the conflict will only worsen communal tensions,” it stated.
The Hills Journal
K. Salbung, Churachandpur
Manipur-795128
