Northeast Desk, August 31, 2024 — Kuki organizations escalated their push for a separate Kuki homeland with widespread rallies across several hill districts in Manipur on August 31. Demonstrations took place in Jiribam, Tamenglong, and Churachandpur, where protesters expressed their discontent with the Biren Singh government and advocated for the creation of a new state called “Kukiland.”
The rallies saw significant participation, with demonstrators carrying placards and chanting slogans demanding a separate administration as the solution to the ongoing unrest. One prominent poster declared: “For peace in Manipur, Mother India has to deliver a new baby statehood called Kukiland.”
The protests were particularly noticeable along National Highway 37, from Lhangnom to Tatbung, and in Tuibong, Churachandpur. The momentum from these local rallies is setting the stage for a larger protest scheduled for later the same day at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. The upcoming rally, organized by Kuki Inpi and Kuki Students’ Organisation, is set to run from 1:30 PM to 5:00 PM and aims to address what organizers term as “institutionalized genocide” by the BJP-led state government against the Kuki-Zo community.
In response to these developments, the Manipur State Government issued a public notice on August 30. The notice acknowledged the planned rallies by both the Zomi Students’ Federation and the Kuki Students’ Organisation, which also called for a shutdown of government offices and private institutions in Kangpokpi District.
Concerned about potential disruptions, the state government has instructed that business establishments, government offices, and private institutions remain open and operational. Preemptive measures have been taken to ensure law and order during the ongoing protests.
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