Calls for equal protection as Kuki-Jo alleges neglect in Manipur

In a formal statement, the Kuki‑Jo Council (KJSC) has accused the Manipur state and centre of overlooking the community’s suffering while concentrating on Naga‑related disputes. The council points to a string of alleged attacks, harassment and denial of legal recourse faced by Kuki‑Jo people.

The National Investigation Agency summoned 21 residents of the Leilon Wahei area for interrogation at Lemakhong Army Camp, a move the council describes as intimidation. Simultaneously, an alleged assault by NSCN‑IM affiliates on Kailangjang village in Kangpokpi district resulted in multiple houses being set ablaze.

A civil‑society figure associated with the Lemakhong Area Protection Committee remains incarcerated in Churachandpur jail despite having no link to any criminal case.

KJSC also claims that the United Naga Council’s ongoing blockade—approved for more than two months—has crippled the delivery of essential commodities to Kuki‑Jo populated districts, creating a de‑facto humanitarian crisis. The council deems the prolonged denial of basic supplies a grave violation of fundamental rights.

The council’s demands include equal legal protection for every community, the immediate liberation of innocent detainees, a fair inquiry into the killings of fifteen Kuki‑Jo individuals—including three clergy—attributed to alleged Naga militants, and punitive measures against those responsible for assaults on Kuki‑Jo villages. It also calls for an immediate end to the blockade, stressing that justice must be uniformly applied and that every life, irrespective of ethnicity, deserves equal respect.