Kuki-Zo groups lay out preconditions for April 5 talks

Kuki-Zo Groups Demand Security and Justice Ahead of Crucial Peace Talks with Government

As the April 5 peace talks between Kuki-Zo organizations and the central government approach, tribal leaders have outlined non-negotiable conditions for their participation, reflecting deep-seated mistrust after months of ethnic violence in Manipur. The Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) and allied groups insist on concrete government action before meaningful dialogue can begin, including the withdrawal of state security forces they accuse of bias, an independent judicial probe into the violence, political safeguards for tribal areas, and immediate rehabilitation for thousands displaced by the conflict.  

Community representatives emphasize that past negotiations have yielded little progress, with Ginza Vualzong of ITLF stating, "We won't repeat the cycle of talks without guarantees—our people need to see action, not just hear promises." The demand for a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the bloodshed, coupled with calls for administrative autonomy in Kuki-Zo majority districts, underscores the community's determination to secure long-term protections.  

While Home Ministry officials have signaled openness to discussions, they caution against rigid preconditions, urging flexibility from both sides. The outcome of next week's meeting carries high stakes: a breakthrough could pave the way for reconciliation, but failure risks reigniting tensions in a region where over 12,000 people remain in squalid relief camps, their lives suspended by uncertainty.  

For now, displaced families watch warily as leaders prepare for what many see as a last chance for peace. "We want to go home, but not to the same dangers," says Lhingboi, a mother of three sheltering in a Churachandpur school. Her words capture the fragile hope hanging over the talks—that this time, dialogue might finally translate into durable change.