Hectic discussions are ongoing among various Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Manipur government officials, and security forces to secure the safe release of individuals still held captive by different community groups. Recently, 30 out of more than 38 hostages from the Kuki and Naga communities were freed in Kangpokpi and Senapati districts after joint efforts by authorities and community leaders. The hostages, including women, were taken to undisclosed locations following an incident where suspected militants killed three Baptist Church leaders and injured four others in Kangpokpi district.
Efforts are being intensified to ensure the safe release of the remaining captives. Tribal organizations, such as the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), have organized protests across Kuki-Zo inhabited areas in Manipur’s hill districts to denounce the alleged illegal detention and hostage-taking of innocent Kuki civilians. Demonstrations and sit-in protests have been held to demand the immediate, safe, and unconditional release of all hostages and the implementation of a charter of demands submitted to the government by the KIM.
KIM Information and Publicity Secretary Janghaolun Haokip highlighted the suffering of the detainees’ families, emphasizing the need for urgent intervention to prevent further destabilization in the region. Due to the ongoing hostage crisis and the threat to the remaining detainees, the 48-hour total shutdown called by the Kuki Inpi Manipur has been extended for an additional 48 hours starting from midnight on May 15.
