Songpi: The Kuki Defence and Policy Council, headquartered at Muvanlai Building, D.C. Road, Songpi, has issued a press statement on September 30, 2026, condemning what it described as continued arbitrary detentions and biased law enforcement against the Kuki people in Manipur.
In its statement titled “Condemning the Continued Arbitrary Detentions and Biased Law Enforcement Against the Kuki People”, the council alleged that the targeting, arrest and detention of individuals belonging to the Kuki community by state and central law enforcement agencies, most notably the National Investigation Agency (NIA), represents a blatant and selective application of law and order.
The council stated that at a time when the state should be upholding the rule of law equally for all citizens, such actions demonstrate a troubling pattern of state-sponsored victimisation that can no longer be met with silence. It claimed that this pattern has created a sense of insecurity and distrust among the affected population.
According to the statement, the Kuki community is currently enduring what it termed as severe and systemic persecution. It alleged victimisation by other communities through restriction of movement, denial of access to essential medical supplies, and widespread disruption of education, careers and livelihoods. The council said the Kuki people cannot accept further victimisation by a government that is meant to protect all citizens equally.
The organization further stated that growing alienation among the people, the state’s alleged denial to acknowledge their suffering, and complete inaction to address what it called gross constitutional violations have left the community questioning the policy of the government. It questioned how innocent civilians can be forced to endure human rights violations while their security, dignity and integrity are continuously undermined.
The council asserted that the Kuki people are inherently peace-loving and have consistently adhered to the Constitution of India. However, it added that endurance has its limits, and if partiality, harassment and structural oppression continue unabated, the situation will reach an intolerable tipping point, making peaceful coexistence difficult.
In a strongly worded portion of the statement, the council said the Kuki people will not accept being reduced to second-class citizens in their own ancestral homeland. It stated that if the state refuses to protect them and continues to treat its people as targets rather than citizens, they will be left with no choice but to carve their own path. It further said that a death in the struggle for freedom, dignity and survival is far preferable to a life lived under inhumane conditions.
The council has called upon central authorities, human rights bodies and international observers to immediately step in to halt the biased detentions by the NIA and state forces, restore equal law enforcement, and address the severe humanitarian crisis facing the Kuki people before the situation deteriorates beyond repair.
