The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) is deeply shocked and anguished by the brutal killing of four members of the United Kuki National Army (UKNA) by security forces in Khanpi, Henglep. According to reports, the four men were shot dead while they were asleep — a manner that can only be described as an act of cold-blooded execution.
While the Valley-Based Insurgent Groups (VBIGs) of the Meitei continue to operate with complete impunity, ITLF strongly condemns this selective and inhumane act perpetrated under the guise of security operations. This unprovoked and barbaric killing of our own people — executed without confrontation, without due process, and while they were asleep — is an appalling abuse of power and a direct assault on the rule of law. Such actions not only constitute a grave violation of human rights but also expose the deep-rooted bias and double standards within the state’s security apparatus.
It must be clearly stated that UKNA is not a terrorist organization, nor has it ever acted against the interests of the Indian nation or its security forces. Like other Kuki-Zo armed groups, UKNA has been part of the ongoing struggle for our people’s right to self-governance within the framework of India. To target them in this manner is not only unjustified but also reflects the continued misuse of power by the security forces in the hills of Manipur.
ITLF mourns the tragic loss of four of our brave sons — our own flesh and blood. Whether they were village volunteers or members of an armed group, they were all driven by the same aspiration: the pursuit of justice and the demand for a separate administration where our people can live in peace and dignity. We convey our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and stand in solidarity with them in this hour of grief.
Their untimely deaths will not be in vain. ITLF reaffirms that their sacrifices will continue to inspire our collective struggle for political recognition and lasting peace for the Kuki-Zo people.
Statement by United Zofate Community (Great Britain)
We, the United Zofate Community in Great Britain, are deeply saddened by the acts of violence towards our brothers and sisters in Manipur, India. Over a hundred churches were burned to the ground, over two thousand houses were destroyed, and tens of thousands of people are displaced. We strongly condemn this violence against our communities and our Christian faith, and we demand swift action so the perpetrators of the hideous crimes are brought to justice.
The ongoing mob violence supported by the State Government against the tribal community must stop. In order for this to end, President’s Rule must be imposed as the decision makers in the state are Meitei majority led by the Chief Minister, Mr N Biren Singh. Without President's Rule in Manipur, the tribal communities in Manipur will never be safe from ongoing attacks from the Meitei.
We call for the resignation of Mr N Biren Singh, the Chief Minister of Manipur, whose lack of leadership during such times of crisis and whose biased stance towards the tribal Christian people of Manipur has led to this point.
We also fully support the demand for “Separate Administration” for the region as proposed by the ten MLA signatories from Manipur Hill Areas in their letter to Mr Amit Shah, the Union Home Minister of India. We firmly stand together with our Tribal Christian brothers and sisters of Manipur State.
United Zofate Community (Great Britain)
Unau Welfare Association UK
******
In the rugged terrain of Manipur, a story unfolds, one of resilience and resistance. The Indian Army's actions in Khanpi village, Churachandpur district, have left a community in mourning. Four lives lost, four families torn apart, and a people left to wonder if their lives matter.
KIYA Condemns the unprovoked killing of four UKNA cadres by the Indian Army.
A fierce encounter broke out in the early hours of Tuesday, 4 November, between Indian security forces and suspected militants of the United Kuki National Army (UKNA), a non-SoO Kuki outfit, at Khanpi village, about 80 kilometres west of Churachandpur, Manipur.
According to a press release from the PRO and Spokesperson, Ministry of Defence (Manipur, Nagaland and Southern Arunachal Pradesh), the clash began when the militants opened unprovoked fire on an Indian Army column conducting an intelligence-based operation. The troops retaliated, killing four UKNA members. The operation remains underway, with extensive search operations being carried out in nearby areas.
The Defence Ministry stated that the action followed a series of violent incidents allegedly involving UKNA cadres, including the killing of a village chief, intimidation of locals, and attempts to disrupt peace and stability in the region.
The deceased UKNA members have been identified as:
Mr Thangminlal Haokip (18), son of Seikholet Haokip of Phaisanjang/Jangngoulen village
Following the incident, the United Kuki National Army (UKNA) issued a strong statement condemning what it described as a “cowardly act” in which four of its cadres were “killed while asleep” in an operation allegedly carried out with the involvement of security forces.
In its release, the UKNA accused those behind the operation of colluding with security agencies and reminded both the Indian Army and the Kuki-Zo community of the hardships faced since the outbreak of ethnic violence. The group claimed that Meitei forces had earlier driven them from their territories, resulting in atrocities “witnessed and condemned by the world.”
Reiterating its demand for a separate administration from Manipur, the UKNA clarified that it is not opposed to the Indian Army or society at large. It asserted that the group would lay down arms only after its demand for a Union Territory is fulfilled.
The statement also urged security forces “not to be misled by a few individuals” allegedly exploiting the ongoing conflict for personal gain. It reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to pursuing its objectives within the framework of the Indian Constitution and demanded justice for those killed in the Khanpi incident.
Meanwhile, the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) and Kuki Organization for Human Rights (KOHUR) have strongly condemned the “brutal killing” of the four UKNA members. Several other civil and community organisations have also expressed their outrage, calling for an impartial investigation into the incident.
In honour of the deceased, a candlelight vigil was organised in Sadar Hills, where residents paid tribute to the four slain cadres described as “brave soldiers.” The UKNA has declared a total shutdown across Kuki-Zo areas until the bodies of the martyrs are solemnly buried.
~ KV News
The Kukis Organization for Human Rights (KOHUR) strongly condemns the Notification S.O. 4379(E) dated 26th September 2025 issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, under Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958. By this notification, the Central Government has extended the declaration of the State of Manipur as a “disturbed area” for six months with effect from 1st April 2025, while deliberately excluding thirteen police stations in five valley districts.
This selective and discriminatory application of AFSPA is emblematic of the Central Government’s policy of appeasement towards the dominant Meitei community. It violates the constitutional guarantee of equality before the law under Article 14 of the Constitution of India, since it shields the very jurisdictions where violence and lawlessness have been most rampant, while continuing to impose AFSPA on the comparatively peaceful tribal hill districts. Such conduct reflects not neutrality but calculated bias.
The valley has been the epicentre of the ongoing violence. More than five thousand firearms and large stocks of ammunition were looted from government armouries in valley jurisdictions, and yet no meaningful accountability has been enforced. Despite this collapse of order, the Central Government has perversely chosen to exempt the valley from AFSPA, rewarding impunity while punishing the already vulnerable tribal hills with continued militarisation.
The events of the past week further expose the dangerous fallacy of this decision. On Saturday, two individuals from Manipur were detained in connection with the ambush on an Assam Rifles convoy that killed two soldiers and injured five others. The ambush was carried out by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), a valley-based secessionist group that has repeatedly attacked Central forces and continues to operate with impunity. This single incident demonstrates beyond doubt that the valley remains the principal theatre of insurgency, militancy, and lawlessness, while the hills remain comparatively peaceful. If AFSPA were to be applied rationally and on security considerations alone, it is the valley that requires it, not the tribal hills.
Yet, by insulating the valley from AFSPA and targeting the hills, the Government has created a dangerous asymmetry in governance. Valley-based militants who brazenly attack security forces are effectively shielded, while tribal populations are subjected to heavy-handed militarisation. This is not governance in the service of justice but governance in the service of ethnic majoritarianism.
The Supreme Court of India, in Naga People’s Movement of Human Rights v. Union of India (1997), had made clear that AFSPA cannot be exercised arbitrarily or discriminatorily. The Justice Jeevan Reddy Committee (2005) went further, recommending repeal of AFSPA altogether because of its disproportionate impact on minorities and its legacy of abuse. In ignoring these authoritative warnings, the Government of India has acted with disregard for both constitutional protections and judicial guidance.
Equally, the notification violates India’s obligations under international human rights law, particularly the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention Against Torture, which mandate equality before law and protection of minorities from persecution. The selective exemption of valley jurisdictions—despite being the epicentre of armed violence—demonstrates discrimination on ethnic lines and exposes the State’s complicity in the systemic persecution of the Kuki-Zo people.
KOHUR denounces this notification as an instrument of injustice. By refusing to recognise the valley as the epicentre of lawlessness and exempting it from AFSPA, the Government has emboldened valley-based militants, rewarded impunity, and endangered the tribal communities who now face continued militarisation despite their relative peace. The notification is not a measure for security; it is a political tool that entrenches bias and persecution.
Unless this discriminatory order is immediately reviewed and corrected, unless looted arms are recovered and valley-based perpetrators are prosecuted, unless impartiality in governance is restored, the notification of 26th September 2025 will deepen the crisis in Manipur. It will erode what little remains of public trust in the impartiality of the State, and it will stand as further proof of official complicity in the ethnic persecution of the Kuki-Zo community.
Department of Information & Publicity
Kuki Organization for Human Rights Trust
The Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR) has issued a grave condemnation of the extrajudicial killing of four Kuki youths in Manipur by combined state and central security forces, describing it as yet another episode in a systematic campaign of state-sponsored persecution against the Kuki-Zo tribal community. KOHUR identifies this incident as part of a broader architecture of violence that has been unfolding since May 2023 under the Biren Singh-led government.
According to verified accounts, the four youths were killed by personnel of the 21 Para Special Forces and the Assam Rifles, following an encounter staged under disputed circumstances. KOHUR strongly rejects the official narrative labelling the deceased as “terrorists,” calling it a fabricated justification for state excesses and a calculated attempt to vilify an entire community.
The cold-blooded execution of these young men is not an isolated event but the continuation of a genocidal campaign aimed at annihilating the Kuki-Zo people from their ancestral lands. The Biren-led administration has forfeited its constitutional legitimacy by arming and abetting Meitei extremist militias while criminalising the very existence of Kuki-Zo villagers defending their homes.
KOHUR’s documentation reveals an entrenched pattern of militia-led violence, institutional impunity, and state complicity that has defined the Manipur conflict since the orchestrated attacks of May 3, 2023.
The crisis, the organisation asserts, is not merely an ethnic clash but a state-directed campaign of ethnic cleansing, executed through the mobilisation of radical Meitei militias such as Arambai Tenggol and Meitei Leepun. The systematic looting of more than 6,000 automatic weapons and over 500,000 rounds of ammunition from government armouries empowered these groups to act as the state’s proxy militias, operating openly and with impunity across the Imphal Valley.
While these armed groups have been seen conducting daylight patrols, attacking police posts, and kidnapping officials, the government has neither launched operations against them nor held their leadership accountable. Instead, Kuki-Zo village volunteers—who mobilised arms solely in self-defence—have been branded as “insurgents” or “terrorists” and subjected to arbitrary arrest, NIA investigations, and targeted detentions.
The Kuki-Zo community did not take up arms by choice but by compulsion. When faced with coordinated attacks by state-backed Meitei militias, the villagers had no option but to defend their lives, homes, and families. Their mobilisation was defensive, rooted in survival—not aggression.
KOHUR also drew attention to the killing of Hmar village volunteers in Jiribam, who were shot dead by central security forces. The incident, reported by The Sangai Express and The Imphal Free Press, mirrors the extrajudicial pattern seen across Kuki-Zo areas, where victims are branded as “militants” posthumously to justify unlawful killings.
To this day, no inquiry or accountability process has been initiated into the Jiribam killings. Families of the deceased remain without justice or recognition, and the perpetrators continue to enjoy impunity under the shield of official protection.
Selective Application of AFSPA and Institutional Bias
KOHUR further condemned the selective imposition of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) in Manipur, which excludes 13 police stations—all located in the Meitei-dominated Imphal Valley—from its purview. This discriminatory exemption, implemented and renewed by the Biren Singh government with the approval of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, grants legal immunity to central and state forces operating in Kuki-Zo tribal regions while shielding the majority-dominated areas from military oversight.
This selective enforcement, KOHUR stated, constitutes a deliberate mechanism of suppression against the minority Kuki-Zo population. It exposes how state power and military authority are disproportionately concentrated in tribal territories, enabling unchecked violence, arbitrary detentions, and extrajudicial killings under the protection of AFSPA.
By lifting AFSPA from Meitei areas while retaining it in tribal regions, the state has created two legal systems—one of privilege and another of persecution,” KOHUR asserted. “This decision is not administrative but ideological: it codifies inequality and legitimises the ongoing militarisation of the Kuki-Zo homeland.”
Manipur today represents a collapse of constitutional governance, where ethnonationalist militias act as state auxiliaries and central forces operate with absolute impunity. Over 60,000 Kuki-Zo civilians remain displaced, their homes destroyed, and their lands seized, while the state’s constitutional promises stand hollow.
KOHUR asserts that domestic mechanisms—judicial, administrative, and security—have completely failed to uphold the rule of law, leaving the tribal population without any effective avenue for justice or protection.
Given the scale of atrocities and the complicity of state actors, KOHUR calls upon the international community, the United Nations, and global human rights institutions to act urgently. The organisation urges:
An independent international investigation into the extrajudicial killings of Kuki youths, the Hmar village volunteers, and all documented atrocities since May 2023.
Accountability and sanctions against state and central officials responsible for human rights violations against the Kuki-Zo community.
Immediate dismantling of Meitei extremist militias, recovery of looted arms, and restoration of law and order under neutral oversight.
Deployment of international observers or a UN human rights monitoring mission to ensure civilian protection and adherence to India’s obligations under the ICCPR and CAT.
Recognition and protection of the Kuki-Zo people’s right to life, liberty, and self-governance, including through a separate administrative arrangement ensuring security and equality.
KOHUR reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to peaceful advocacy, legal documentation, and humanitarian relief for the Kuki-Zo people. It warned that without immediate intervention, Manipur risks permanent ethnic segregation and a deepening human rights catastrophe.
The Kuki Civil Societies of Churachandpur have issued a strong condemnation against the killing of four cadres of the United Kuki National Army (UKNA) during a counter-insurgency operation conducted by Indian security forces at Khanpi village, Henglep Sub-Division, early this morning.
In a joint statement, the groups — including the Kuki Inpi Churachandpur (KIC), Kuki Chief Association (KCA), Kuki Women Union (KWU), Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights (KWOHR), Kuki Khanglai Lawmpi (KKL), and Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) — expressed deep sorrow over the tragic loss of lives and extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.
The civil bodies urged both government security agencies and insurgent groups to refrain from further bloodshed and to seek peaceful means of resolving differences for the sake of peace and harmony in the district.
Condemning all forms of violence, the organisations appealed to the Government of India to work towards a political solution through the formation of a Separate Administration, describing it as the only viable means to restore lasting peace and normalcy in the region.
In honour of the deceased, the statement also called for a total shutdown across Churachandpur District and urged the public to observe a district-wide mourning on the day of the funeral for the four slain UKNA cadres.
The joint statement was signed by representatives of the six Kuki civil bodies, including Letpu Haokip (KIC), Letkam Haokip (KCA), Hatkholam Haokip (KWU), Ngainiekim Haokip (KWOHR), T. Lalboi Haokip (KKL), and T. Letminlen Haokip (KSO).
The United Kuki National Army (UKNA) has issued a strong statement condemning what it described as a "cowardly act" at Khanpi, where four of its cadres were allegedly killed while asleep in an operation carried out with the involvement of security forces.
Sipaiin thuneihna an lak hma khan CNF CNA Hakha Thantlang sipai leh ZRA Zomi sipai te inkarah thisen chhuahna leh inbeihna a awm lo. Chuti a nih chuan Zo unau inkarah buaina siamtu leh hrilhhrintu chu tunge ni ang. Enho ta ila.
ZRA EC
Chuti a nih chuan CNF CNA CC Hakha Thantlang sipaite chuan engvangin nge Tedim leh Tonzang khuaah lutin kulh an din a ZRA an va beih thin. Hnam hrang hrang CDF armed groups te hian engvangin nge ZRA awmna hmunah an luh a unau inkarah indona an thlen a inthahna an thlen zawk. CNF CNA CC Hakha Thantlang sipaiho hian anmahni ngei hi ramri ruk an ching hmasa zawk a ni lom ni. Hnunglam chanchin kan en let ang.
A nihna takah chuan unau hnai inkarah Chin hnam hrang hrang inkarah khawpui hrang hrang inkarah harsatna leh buaina chi hrang hrang titu leh chawk tho tu chu CNF CNA a nih loh leh 88 Chin hel pawl ti a hriat armed group te hi an ni. Chin Ram leh Chin hnam inpumkhatna tichhetu chanchin hriat atana sual ber chu CNF CNA hi an ni.
Chin Ram chhunga awm hnam hrang hrang leh khawpui hrang hrang apiang te hian an awmna hmun mil zelin political hnam khawtlang ngaihtuahna leh pawm danah te danglamna chu hun hmasa atang tawhin a tlem a tam a nei vek tawh.
Chung ngaihdan hrang hrangte chu an awmna hmun a tuartu berte ngeiin an inbe remin an insawifiah tur a ni. CNF CNA CC hian Mihrut hneh ang maia rawn inrawlhin rawn sutkiang tum kher a ngai lo.
Tihtlangval tuma an rawn beih chuan buaina chu a lian zual turin an chawk tho tihna a ni ang. Keini chu Chin National level a Revolution titu kan ni an tihna pawh chu a dik lo bur. Kum 36 hnih thum chhung khan Chin revolution hming puin Chin mipuite chungah an che zahawm lo mai bakah international ah NGO Donor an dilin Chin revolution hming puin politics an khawih chhuak a ni.
Chuvangin CNF CNA CC Hakha Thantlang sipaiho chu midang ramri lutin buaina chi hrang hrang siam tawh lo turin ka chah a che u.
Armed Chin unau inkarah thisen chhuah thlenga inbeihna leh inthahna thlentu chetla apiang chu ka pawm lova ka pawm chhunzawm bawk hek lo.
CNF CNA te hian 88 atanga an unau inkarah zahmawh taka silai an hmehpuah a an thah thin hel rilru chu tunah hian siamthat hlak tawh turin ka chah a che u.
Read More
Atrocities Committed by CNA Against the Zomi CommunityThe Main Reason Why CNA and ZRA are at WarUnderstanding the CNA-ZRA Rivalry and Mizoram's Role in PeacebuildingCNA ten ZORO Hmalakna Bawhchhia (CNA undermines Zoro’s Peace Initiative).*****
A fierce gunfight erupted in the early hours of Tuesday, 4 November, between Indian security forces and suspected militants of the United Kuki National Army (UKNA), a non-SoO Kuki outfit, at Khanpi village, approximately 80 kilometres west of Churachandpur, Manipur.
 |
| *via social media. |
According to a press note issued by the PRO and Spokesperson, Ministry of Defence (Manipur, Nagaland, and Southern Arunachal Pradesh), the encounter began when the militants resorted to unprovoked firing on an Indian Army column during an intelligence-based operation. The troops retaliated, resulting in the neutralisation of four UKNA cadres. The operation remains in progress, with search operations being carried out in the adjoining areas.
 |
| One of the slain UKNA members. via social media. |
The statement further noted that this action follows a series of violent incidents allegedly committed by UKNA members, including the killing of a village chief, intimidation of local residents, and attempts to disrupt peace and stability in the region.
“The successful neutralisation of these terrorists highlights the Indian Army and Assam Rifles’ continued commitment to protecting innocent civilians and ensuring peace and security in Manipur,” the press note added.
Additional sources reported that the firefight was intense and resulted in four confirmed fatalities. The identities of the deceased are yet to be confirmed as investigations continue. Security forces have strengthened their presence in the area to prevent further unrest and to restore calm.
~ KV News
The induction of the new ITLF leaders for the 2025–2026 term was held on 3 November 2025. The newly appointed leaders are as follows:
Chairman: Letpu Haokip
Vice Chairman: K. Lalbiaksanga
General Secretary: Elder Dr. Thangsuolien Sinate
Joint Secretary: Felix Sianmuanthang Tungnung
Finance Secretary: Henkhopao Haokip
Treasurer: Ginjomsang Gangte
Information Secretary: Ginza Vualzong
The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) was established on 9 June 2022 at the KIC Office in Tuibuong by recognised tribes within the district who have coexisted since time immemorial. The forum comprises prominent tribal organisations such as the Paite Tribe Council, Kuki Inpi, Simte Tribe Council, Vaiphei People’s Council, Mizo People’s Convention, Hmar Inpui, United Zou Organisation, and Gangte Tribe Union.
We extend our best wishes to the new team for a successful and fruitful tenure!
