Kuki-Zo organisations consider referendum on political future in Manipur

Guwahati: Kuki Zo organisations are contemplating to undertake an exercise of referendum on the political future of the Kuki-Zo People of Manipur. Kuki-Zo organisations are seeking creation of a Union Territory in the wake of the ethnic violence in Manipur.

The exercise will be titled as Kuki-Zo People's Referendum Ballot, and this will an exercise of their adult franchise as per the Indian Electoral Roll

The ballot will have a question and will be submitted at designated polling station. The question does you, as a Kuki-Zo person residing in Manipur, support the creation of a Union Territory comprising all Kuki-Zo villages, to be governed directly by the Central Government of India, ensuring safety, justice, and equitable development? One can tick or use impression. The voter can use the box, yes, I support the creation of a Union Territory for the Kuki-Zo people. No, I support continuation under the State of Manipur in its present form”.


There will details of voter as per the ID card, name of the voter, Age, gender of the voter, Father's Name, Village/District, Polling Station Name & Code. There will be polling official besides name of the polling official, designation or organisation. “This referendum is conducted by the Kuki-Zo people in a democratic expression of their political self-determination, ensuring adherence to electoral norms as per the Indian Constitution”.

Naga National Council had claimed to do plebiscite on May 16 1951 and claimed that 99.9% of the Nagas wanted independence from India. Normal life continued to be affected in Kuki-Zo areas of Manipur for the fifth day on Thursday due to the indefinite shutdown called by the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC)to protest the resumption of the bus services between the state capital Imphal and the hill districts and the police action in the tribal areas on Saturday.

Tribal leaders claimed that the indefinite shutdown was total and successful in Kangpokpi, Churachandpur, Tengnoupal, and Pherzawl districts.

An official in the state government stated, "The Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU) leaders on Monday and Tuesday held an inconclusive meeting with the government officials about the withdrawal of the indefinite shutdown”.

On March 8, at least 43 people, including 27 security personnel, were injured and a protester was killed during the clashes in Kangpokpi and a few other districts as the Kuki-Zo tribal organisations protested the resumption of the bus services between Imphal and the hill districts.

The bus services were resumed on Saturday by the Manipur State Transport Corporation as the government initiated free movement.

Manipur is under President’s rule. In Manipur, at least 258 people have been killed and over a thousand people injured in the ethnic violence between the tribal Kuki-Zo and the non-tribal Meitei people since May 3, 2023. More than 60,000 people have been displaced from their homes and villages who are staying in relief camps in different districts.

The ethnic violence between the non-tribals Meiteis and tribal Kuki-Zo broke out in the northeastern state on May 3, 2023, after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.