‘Unacceptable’– Kuki groups oppose Manipur CM’s proposed visit to Churachandpur
Churachandpur: The Kuki Liberation Army-Letkholun (KLA-L) has warned against the proposed visit of Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand to Kuki-Zo inhabited areas scheduled for May 15, calling it “unacceptable.”
According to Kashmir Media Service, in a statement issued on May 13, KLA-L said the visit would amount to crossing “a boundary between two distinct entities,” referring to the separation between the Meitei-dominated valley and Kuki-Zo areas since the ethnic violence of May 2023.
The group warned that breaching the buffer zones would be viewed as a provocation and called for “total mobilisation” of Kuki-Zo citizens to resist the visit. The United Kuki National Army also termed the visit “highly provocative and unacceptable,” while Kuki National Organisation and United People’s Front/ZRO opposed the move, warning it could trigger confrontation and escalate tensions.
Kuki Inpi Manipur and other civil society groups have also urged the state government to defer the visit.
The development comes amid continuing tensions in Manipur following the ethnic conflict that erupted in May 2023, which has led to large-scale displacement and ongoing political demands from both communities.
