The Kuki group ITLF today organised protests in Manipur's Churachandpur
In a significant development, a frontal organisation of the Kuki-Zo tribes in Manipur has claimed they are ready to establish a "self-governed separate administration" in areas dominated by them, "whether the centre recognises it or not".
The statement by the hill-majority Kuki group Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) comes after months of ethnic unrest in the state bordering Myanmar, which has claimed 180 lives and internally displaced thousands.
"It has been over six months and nothing has been done regarding our demand for a separate administration from the Manipur government. So if our voice is not heard within a couple of weeks, we will set up our self-government. Irrespective of whether the centre recognises it or not, we will go ahead," ITLF general secretary Muan Tombing told reporters amid a protest in Manipur's Churachandpur district today.
"As in a state or a Union Territory, we will set up a self-government that will look into all matters in the Kuki-Zo areas. We have to do this since our voice has not been heard," Mr Tombing said.
Ten tribal MLAs including those from the ruling BJP have demanded a total separation from Manipur. They have said the state government is dominated by the valley-majority Meitei community.
The ITLF organised the protests in Churachandpur today to push for its core demand of separate administration, and also to request for a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the alleged killing of 22 people of the Kuki tribes.
"Many brutal killings of members of Kuki-Zo community have taken place, but the CBI or the central agencies have not taken them up for investigation. This rally is to protest against the atrocities committed against the Kuki-Zo people," ITLF spokesperson Ginza Vualzong said.
The ethnic unrest in Manipur began on May 3 following a protest by the Kuki tribes against the Meiteis' demand for inclusion under the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category.
Though the immediate cause of the ethnic clashes is said to be over the Meities' demand for ST tag, many leaders including Home Minister Amit Shah and Foreign Minister S Jaishankar have said entry of illegal immigrants is one of the main factors behind the unrest in the northeast state, which is ruled by the BJP.
The NIA has said it is looking into an alleged transnational conspiracy involving terror groups hiding in Bangladesh, Myanmar and Manipur to exploit the ethnic violence in the northeast state.