10 Manipur MLAs urge PM Modi to create Union Territory for Kuki-Zo tribals

Imphal, Sep 13 (IANS) Ten MLAs, including seven BJP legislators, belonging to tribal community, have urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to consider separate administration or a Union Territory for the Kuki-Zo tribals in Manipur.

A memorandum, signed by ten MLAs, submitted to the Prime Minister during his visit to Churachandpur, urged PM Modi to expedite the dialogue to address their demand for a separate Union Territory with legislature for the Kuki-Zo tribals in the state.

“You are fully aware of how our people have been totally cleansed from the valley areas of Manipur, shamed, assaulted, raped, and ravaged, physically as well as mentally. It is an unprecedented ethnic persecution, with state complicity, by the majority community on our minority community,” the MLAs said in their memorandum to the Prime Minister.

They said: “We can now live in peace only as good neighbours, never under the same roof again.This alone, we believe, will bring lasting peace and a sense of security, justice and belonging to our people.”

Among the ten MLAs, Letpao Haokip was the former Minister of Tribal Affairs Department and Nemcha Kipgen was the former Social Welfare and Cooperation minister.

The ten MLAs along with almost all Kuki-Zo tribal organisations including Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), the apex body of the Kuki-Zo tribal community in Manipur, have been demanding separate administration or a Union territory for the tribals since the ethnic violence broke out in the Northeastern state in May 2023.

The Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP, Congress and other political parties on a number of occasions rejected the separate administration or a Union Territory for the Kuki-Zo tribals in Manipur.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's estimated population of about 36.49 lakhs and live mostly in the six Imphal Valley districts, while tribals, which include Naga, Kuki-Zo, constitute 40 per cent and reside mainly in the 10 hill districts.

--IANS

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