The Council claimed that more than 250 Kuki-Zo people had been killed since ethnic violence erupted in May 2023 and over 40,000 displaced following the destruction of homes and places of worship in the Imphal Valley. (File Photo)Accusing the government of selective action in dealing with ethnic violence in Manipur, the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) on Wednesday threatened to withdraw its MLAs from the state government and ask Kuki-Zo armed groups under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement to reconsider their cooperation with the government.In a strongly worded statement, the KZC reiterated its demand for a separate Union Territory with a legislature, arguing that the existing political arrangement had failed to protect the community. It alleged that while the killings of Meitei and Naga civilians had prompted swift action by security forces, similar action had not followed the killing of Kuki-Zo civilians.The statement comes amid renewed tensions between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities following the killing of three Meitei men near the Imphal East-Kangpokpi border on October 19, as well as continuing clashes involving Kuki-Zo and Naga groups.Referring to the killing of the three Meitei men, the KZC alleged that security forces had subsequently seized a camp belonging to one of the armed groups covered by the SoO agreement, despite no established connection between the camp and the killings.On October 23, security forces took control of the designated Sinai camp at Saimol village in Kangpokpi district. Police said 17 people were arrested after their identities failed to match the official list of cadres registered under the SoO arrangement. According to security officials, only one of the camp’s 159 registered cadres was found present during verification.The Council contrasted this with the government’s response to violence allegedly involving the NSCN-IM and ZUF(K). It claimed that 32 Kuki-Zo civilians had been killed since March 2026 in violence attributed to these groups and that several villages had been burnt.The KZC also questioned why the NSCN-IM was allegedly being allowed to operate freely in Manipur despite its ceasefire arrangement with the Centre not extending to the state.Story continues below this ad“Do Kuki-Zo lives matter? Are not we citizens of India, entitled to equal protection and justice?” the Council said, alleging that the community’s grievances remained unaddressed and political dialogue had stalled.The Council claimed that more than 250 Kuki-Zo people had been killed since ethnic violence erupted in May 2023 and over 40,000 displaced following the destruction of homes and places of worship in the Imphal Valley.Reiterating the demand for a separate administration, the KZC said a Union Territory with a legislature was necessary to ensure the community’s security, preserve its identity and allow it to govern its own affairs.“This demand is not merely a political aspiration; it is a question of our very survival as a people,” it said.Story continues below this adWarning of political consequences if its demands were not addressed, the Council said: “If the government fails to take concrete steps to ensure our security, deliver justice and advance a meaningful political solution, KZC will consider stronger political measures, including calling upon our elected MLAs to withdraw from participation in the Manipur Government and urging our SoO groups to reconsider their cooperation with the government.”