GUWAHATI: The Kukis in Manipur have maintained their demand for a Union Territory (UT) for their community.

Leaders of the Kuki National Organisation and the United People’s Front—two umbrella bodies representing around 25 Kuki insurgent groups that had earlier signed a suspension of operations (SoO) agreement with the government—reiterated the UT demand during meetings with Ministry of Home Affairs advisor (Northeast) AK Mishra on November 6 and 7.

During the discussions, the Kuki leaders stated that co-existence under the Manipur state administrative setup is no longer possible following the violent “ethnic cleansing” that began on May 3, 2023.

“Historical justifications were highlighted for the political demand, noting that the Kuki-Zo Hills were never under the control of the Manipur State Durbar before Independence. It was also pointed out that under British rule, the Kuki-Zo lands and other tribal areas were classified as ‘Excluded Areas’ under the Government of India Act, 1935,” the Kuki groups said in a joint statement.

“They were administered directly by the British Political Agent, not by the Meitei king. Kuki-Zo governance rested with traditional chiefs, who exercised complete control over land, justice, and local affairs,” the statement added.

The Kuki groups noted that when the British unified the administration for convenience, dual governance remained: the valley was under the Maharaja’s rule, and the hills were under the British Political Agent. They further stated that the tribal people had never been organically part of Manipur State before 1947—administratively, politically, or culturally.

“Given this history, the Kuki-Zo representatives maintained that their demand for Union Territory status with a legislature is rooted in constitutional and historical legitimacy,” the statement said.

It further stated that the post-merger integration of Manipur in 1949 unfairly absorbed the hill regions into a valley-centric governance structure, disregarding tribal autonomy and traditional rights.