By Nengcha Haokip, Kukiland Express Desk
Kanggui: May 1, 2026
The Committee on Tribal Unity, Sadar Hills, has announced “Separation Day” for May 3 across Kangpokpi district, accompanied by a 12-hour total shutdown of National Highway-2. CoTU said the observance is intended to remind the Government of India that the Kuki community is “physically and demographically separated” from the Meitei community, highlighting the widening divide in Manipur’s ongoing ethnic conflict. The call marks a renewed assertion of political and social separation amid protracted tensions.
From 6 am to 6 pm, all business establishments, educational institutions, private and government offices in Kangpokpi will remain closed. Movement along NH-2, a critical lifeline for the hills, will be severely restricted. CoTU clarified that medical emergencies and funeral processions are exempted. The committee has also ordered a blanket halt on travel, farming, and routine activities by the Kuki community throughout the day, signaling a coordinated protest across the district.
The central programme will be held at Martyrs’ Cemetery in Phaijang at 12 noon. Kuki leadership, including tribal bodies, church leaders, student organisations, women’s groups, and intellectuals, are expected to gather to pay homage to those killed in the ethnic strife. CoTU described the event as both a political message and a solemn remembrance, aimed at honoring “fallen heroes who defended their land against encroachment” and reinforcing demands for recognition of a separate identity.
CoTU framed the observance as a reflection of the community’s lived reality since violence erupted in May 2023. The shutdown is meant to underline that coexistence with the Meitei community has become unworkable on the ground. By choosing NH-2 for disruption, CoTU targets a key supply route and administrative artery, ensuring the message reaches both state authorities and the public. The shutdown is likely to impact normal life and movement across the hill districts.
Appealing for public support, CoTU urged residents to extend “full cooperation and solidarity” for the observance. The group said the day carries symbolic weight and practical implications, serving as a reminder to New Delhi that Kuki political aspirations remain unresolved. With tensions still high in Manipur, the planned shutdown signals that separation, not reconciliation, remains the community’s dominant demand heading into the third year of conflict.
