Modi’s historic visit rekindles hope across divided Manipur

Guwahati: The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), representing the collective voice of the Kuki-Zo tribal community of Manipur, has extended a heartfelt welcome to Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of his likely visit to Churachandpur on September 13—a moment the council has described as “historic and rare occasion,” marking the first visit by a sitting prime minister to the region in nearly four decades.

The last time a prime minister of India visited Churachandpur was in 1988, when Rajiv Gandhi made a brief stop in the tribal district during his tenure. Before him, Indira Gandhi had visited the region in 1971, marking the only other known instance of a sitting Prime Minister engaging directly with the Kuki-Zo heartland.

The council’s statement is both warm and resolute—while welcoming Modi to their land, it has reasserted their demand for a separate administration.

The council said that for years, the community has been voicing its demand for complete separation from Manipur. “This demand arises not from convenience, but from necessity—for peace, security, and survival of our people,” the council declared, reiterating its call for a union territory with legislature under Article 239A of the Constitution.

The council laid bare the scale of devastation—over 250 lives lost, 360 churches destroyed, 7,000 homes burnt, and more than 40,000 displaced persons still living in relief camps.

“Whether one likes it or not, the stark reality is that the Kuki-Zo people have been forcibly separated by the actions and aggression of the majority community in Manipur,” the council stated.

Yet, amid the pain, the council expressed faith in the Modi’s leadership, stating, “As the leader of our great nation, we are confident that the Hon’ble Prime Minister will give due recognition to our voice, our pain, and our aspirations. We place our trust in your leadership to heal our wounds, restore our dignity, and safeguard the future of the Kuki-Zo people.”

Modi’s likely itinerary—starting in Churachandpur and ending with an address at Kangla Fort in Imphal—reflects an attempt to balance optics and outreach. He is expected to meet displaced families and may announce rehabilitation packages, raising hopes that he will be able bridge the chasm.

Churachandpur and Imphal—the symbolic and emotional centers of the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities respectively and this dual engagement is widely seen as a gesture of neutrality, signalling that the centre is deeply concerned about the humanitarian and political crisis, but not taking sides.

The conflict, which erupted on May 3, 2023, has deepened the divide between the Meitei community, dominant in the Imphal Valley, and the Kuki-Zo tribal groups inhabiting the surrounding hills.

What began as a protest against the Meitei demand for Scheduled Tribe status quickly spiralled into full-blown violence, fuelled by long-standing grievances over land rights, political representation, and cultural marginalization. The violence has not only fractured Manipur’s social fabric but also hardened political positions.