The Kuki National Organisation and the Zomi Reunification Organisation in Manipur have reaffirmed their joint political objective, established post-May 3, 2023, for a Union Territory with Legislature. This stance will persist until any further decisions are made. The two organizations, operating under Suspension of Operations agreements with the government, made this declaration in a joint statement following a meeting held at the Zomi Reunification Organisation President’s residence.
During the meeting, both groups agreed not to partake in any events involving Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh during his proposed visit to Churachandpur, a hill district predominantly inhabited by the Kuki-Zo community. They also decided to monitor closely instances of communal discord allegedly propagated through various social media platforms, including Facebook pages. To address this, they established a Joint Monitoring Cell comprising the Information and Public Relations Departments of both organizations.
The secretaries of the Kuki National Organisation and the Zomi Reunification Organisation will jointly oversee and coordinate the operations of the Joint Monitoring Cell. Discussions are planned within the Kuki National Organisation cabinet to address the use of the term “Kuki-Zo” as a common identifier, which the Zomi side finds objectionable. Subsequent consultations will lead to a decision to be presented at the next joint meeting of the two organizations.
Leaders from the Zomi side proposed using the term “Kuki-Zomi” to acknowledge the broader shared political movement. Additionally, a proposal to establish a Central Working Committee for coordinating and overseeing the ongoing political dialogue will be internally reviewed by the Zomi Reunification Organisation cabinet before being discussed at the next meeting. Currently, a total of 23 underground outfits, including eight under the United Peoples’ Front and 15 under the Kuki National Organisation, are under Suspension of Operations agreements with the Government of India since August 2008.
