The Kuki Zo Council (KZC) has again placed its age-old demand for a separate Union Territory with legislature on the agenda, which is an indication of the strong resentment and aspirations of the Kuki-Zo people of Manipur.
The request, while not new, has caught additional steam following the latest ethnic unrest that has rendered the state shattered and shaken deeply. KZC leaders contend that their people can only have political security, cultural safeguarding, and equal development through a Union Territory with an independent legislature. They find the prevailing framework of governance in Manipur has failed to satisfy their demands, tending to marginalize them in policy-making.
For the Kuki-Zo people, this call transcends politics alone. It raises questions of identity, dignity, and survival. A lot of the inhabitants believe that they are marginalized in the greater political discourse of Manipur. “We require a system that provides us room to determine our own destiny, preserve our culture, and develop according to our needs,” said one member of the KZC recently.
Yet, the demand for a separate UT is not uncontroversial. There is concern that it would serve to further destabilize the already tenuous social fabric of Manipur. The Meitei community, in turn, sees this as posing a threat to the state’s territorial integrity. The government is also caught in between the aspirations of various groups and its attempts to ensure peace and stability.
Writers observe that the problem cannot be solved by rhetoric. It takes dialogue, understanding, and a sense of accommodation from state and central governments to address the community’s issues. The peaceful solution, they emphasize, is to understand the particular problems of the Kuki-Zo people without losing sight of the greater harmony of the state.
While the Centre’s response is awaited, with the demand gathering momentum, the focus now shifts to New Delhi. The Centre’s response, whether understanding or otherwise, will not only decide the future of the Kuki-Zo Council’s demand but also the tenuous peace in Manipur.
