NEW DELHI, September 10, 2026: The Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People’s Front (UPF), which are under Suspension of Operations (SoO) with the Government of India, have reaffirmed their demand for a Union Territory with a legislature for the Kuki-Zo people of present-day Manipur and insisted that a complete and credible Census must precede any exercise to prepare or update the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
In a joint press release issued on September 10, the two organisations said the political and ground realities in Manipur had fundamentally changed since the outbreak of violence on May 3, 2023. They cited displacement, physical separation of communities, a prolonged breakdown of trust and what they described as the failure of the existing state structure to ensure the security of Kuki-Zo people.
The organisations said there could be no return to the pre-May 2023 status quo and outlined eight demands.
Demand 1: Union Territory with Legislature
The KNO and UPF said their earlier demand for a territorial council within Manipur had become obsolete following the events of May 2023.
They said the complete physical separation of populations, looting and destruction of houses, desecration of churches and burning, displacement of their people and failure of the existing state machinery to protect them had made reintegration impossible.
They therefore reasserted that a Union Territory with a legislature modelled under Article 239A should form the basis of a negotiated settlement in political dialogue between the Government of India and Kuki-Zo representatives.
The organisations described a Union Territory with a legislature as an “existential necessity, not a bargaining point.”
They cited three fundamental concerns:
i) Security and survival: They said they could no longer be assured of their security under the existing majoritarian state administration following the violence and displacement since May 2023.
ii) Land and customary rights: They said traditional land ownership, customary practices and community rights in the hill areas require a separate constitutional and administrative framework.
iii) Permanent political settlement: They said lasting peace cannot be achieved simply by restoring the pre-2023 arrangement and called for a durable political settlement within the Constitution of India.
The KNO and UPF reiterated that the demand does not constitute a demand for secession from India and called on the Government of India to make the Union Territory proposal the principal subject of a time-bound political dialogue under the SoO framework.
Demand 2: Census Must Precede NRC
The organisations strongly opposed any move to prepare or update an NRC in Manipur before completion of a full Census.
They particularly rejected the use of 1951 as the sole or primary baseline for determining citizenship or residency in the hill areas.
They said Census is the only credible national instrument to establish population facts and argued that claims of abnormal population growth, demographic change or illegal immigration involving the Kuki-Zo population must be established through official and verifiable data rather than political claims or speculation.
They listed three principal concerns:
Verified population data: Claims of abnormal Kuki-Zo population growth or illegal immigration should first be tested against officially collected Census data.
Problems with the 1951 baseline: The organisations said many remote hill settlements historically had limited connectivity and access to government institutions. They maintained that enumeration in several areas was incomplete and that reliance on historical records alone could exclude genuine indigenous residents.
National character of NRC: They questioned the basis for undertaking an NRC selectively in Manipur before the latest Census is completed and its results made available.
They urged the Government of India to complete the Census first and ensure that demographic and citizenship questions are decided on the basis of comprehensive, verified and officially collected data.
Demand 3: Separate Administration
The KNO and UPF reiterated their long-standing demand for Separate Administration (SA) under the Constitution of India in view of the violence since May 3, 2023.
They said large-scale displacement, physical separation of communities and the breakdown of trust with the existing state administration had made the demand more urgent.
According to the organisations, a constitutionally protected separate administrative arrangement is necessary to safeguard the lives and property of the Kuki-Zo people as well as their political, administrative, land and customary rights.
Demand 4: Justice for Women Victims
The organisations demanded justice for women victims who, according to the statement, were sexually assaulted, raped, paraded naked and killed since the violence erupted.
They said the suffering of the victims and their families cannot be ignored in any political settlement or reconciliation process.
The KNO and UPF called for credible investigation, accountability and justice in cases involving sexual violence, murder and other serious crimes committed during the conflict, particularly in regard to what they described as the state’s complicity.
Demand 5: Stop Outcasting and Labelling Our Community
The KNO and UPF strongly opposed labelling the Kuki-Zo community as “illegal immigrants.”
The statement referred to the community’s role in fighting the British during the Anglo-Kuki War of 1917–1919 and its contribution to the Indian freedom struggle.
It also claimed that the Kuki-Zo were the main community constituting over 80 per cent of the total serving in the Indian National Army led by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose during the Second World War.
The organisations said their historical role in resisting British colonial rule and their contribution to India’s freedom struggle cannot be erased or disregarded.
They further said an entire community cannot be collectively branded as illegal immigrants and that citizenship or migration questions must be decided through individual, verifiable evidence and due process.
Demand 6: End Long-standing Injustice and Discrimination
The organisations called for their long-standing grievances and unfulfilled government commitments to be addressed through political dialogue.
They urged that these issues be taken up as part of the ongoing political process.
Demand 7: Victim Stories and Current Situation of KPI District
The KNO and UPF also highlighted victim stories and the current situation of KPI district.
They said the experiences of affected families and communities must be documented and given due consideration.
The organisations said continuing displacement, insecurity and the humanitarian consequences of the conflict must be properly recorded and addressed.
They called for the experiences of victims and the ground situation in KPI district to form part of the broader political dialogue and any future reconciliation, rehabilitation and political settlement.
Demand 8: Immediate Cessation of Harassment of SoO Cadres
The organisations demanded the immediate cessation of all forms of harassment, intimidation and undue targeting of cadres covered under the SoO agreement.
They said SoO cadres are bound by the agreement signed with the Government of India and the Government of Manipur.
The KNO and UPF alleged that discriminatory harassment was conspicuous in the absence of other armed groups engaged in similar agreements with the government being spared.
They said continued harassment, intimidation or selective targeting undermines the spirit of the agreement, disrupts the peace process and creates unnecessary tension.
Call for Strict Adherence to SoO Agreement
The organisations called upon the authorities to:
- Strictly adhere to the SoO agreement.
- Ensure the safety, dignity and lawful treatment of all designated cadres.
- Cease harassment, intimidation or selective targeting.
- Maintain regular and transparent monitoring through the existing joint monitoring mechanism.
Appeal to the Government of India
The KNO and UPF reiterated their commitment to the SoO agreement and to a peaceful and constitutional political solution.
They said the prolonged displacement of Kuki-Zo people and physical division of communities since May 2023 had created a new ground reality that, in their view, could not be addressed by simply restoring the status quo.
They urged the Government of India to recognise this reality and initiate a time-bound political process addressing their demand for a Union Territory with a legislature, which they described as the only viable constitutional protection.
They also urged the Centre to complete the Census before any NRC exercise and ensure that demographic and citizenship questions are dealt with through transparent and constitutionally grounded procedures.
The organisations further urged both governments to strictly adhere to the SoO agreement and prevent harassment or selective targeting of designated SoO cadres.
The KNO and UPF concluded by reaffirming their commitment to a peaceful and constitutional settlement within the framework of the Constitution of India. They urged the Government of India to address the political aspirations and security concerns of the Kuki-Zo people without further delay.
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