Representatives of the Kuki-Zo community in Manipur have set a clear political deadline for the resolution of their long-standing demands, insisting that a negotiated settlement must be finalised before the next state assembly election. The demand was reiterated through a five-point resolution adopted at a high-level meeting held in Guwahati on Tuesday, bringing together elected representatives, civil bodies and armed groups currently under a ceasefire arrangement with the government.

The meeting was attended by seven Kuki-Zo MLAs from Manipur, members of the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), and representatives of armed insurgent groups that are signatories to the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the Centre and the state authorities. Collectively, the participants stressed that any return to normal democratic processes in Manipur must be preceded by a political settlement that addresses what they described as the core concerns of the Kuki-Zo people.

At the heart of the resolution is the demand for the creation of a Union Territory with a legislature for Kuki-Zo-dominated areas of Manipur. This demand was first articulated soon after ethnic violence erupted in the state in May 2023 between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, plunging Manipur into one of its worst internal crises in decades.

The Manipur legislative assembly has remained in suspended animation since February 2025, when President’s Rule was imposed following the resignation of the BJP-led government headed by N Biren Singh. Although central rule has brought a degree of administrative control, political uncertainty continues to loom large. The current assembly’s term is scheduled to end in March 2027, effectively setting a two-year window for any negotiated settlement to be concluded before fresh elections are due.

In a statement issued after the Guwahati meeting, the Kuki-Zo groups made it clear that time-bound political action was no longer optional. “The central government must expedite the political settlement to fulfil our demand for a Union Territory with legislature, including adequate constitutional provisions for the protection of our land ownership,” the statement said.

The resolution further underscored that the settlement must not be vague or open-ended. “It is resolved that the negotiated political settlement under the Constitution must be finalised and signed before the expiration of the normal tenure of the current legislative assembly of the state,” the statement added, effectively setting early 2027 as the outer limit for an agreement.

The Kuki-Zo groups also laid down conditions for the formation of any future elected government in Manipur once President’s Rule is lifted. According to the resolution, the next state government must provide a written commitment endorsing the negotiated political settlement for the creation of a Union Territory with a legislature. This commitment, they said, must not only be formal but also time-bound.

“The new government must provide a written commitment to support the negotiated political settlement for UT with legislature under the Constitution,” the statement said. “This commitment must be executed in a time-bound manner, specifically within the current assembly tenure, in the first quarter of 2027.”

In what appears to be a significant escalation of political pressure, the resolution also warned of a boycott of the government formation process if these conditions are not met. The Kuki-Zo groups and their elected representatives said they would “respect the political will of their people” and refrain from participating in the formation of an elected government in Manipur if there is no firm political commitment from both the central and state governments.

“It is resolved that a definitive political solution for the Kuki-Zo people must be achieved before the election of 2027,” the statement said, making clear that participation in future elections is contingent on progress toward their demands.

The articulation of this deadline reflects deep frustration within the Kuki-Zo community over what they see as the lack of meaningful political engagement since the outbreak of violence in 2023. While multiple rounds of talks have been held between community leaders and central government interlocutors, no formal roadmap for a political settlement has been made public so far.

Manipur has remained deeply polarised since ethnic violence broke out in May 2023 between the Meitei community, which is largely concentrated in the Imphal Valley, and the Kuki-Zo communities, who are dominant in several surrounding hill districts. The violence has resulted in more than 260 deaths and the displacement of nearly 60,000 people from both communities, many of whom continue to live in relief camps or with host families.

The crisis has also led to a near-total breakdown of trust between the communities, with physical and psychological divisions hardening over time. Movement between the valley and hill districts remains restricted, and security forces continue to maintain a heavy presence to prevent fresh outbreaks of violence.

For the Kuki-Zo groups, the demand for a Union Territory with legislature is framed as a matter of survival and self-governance. They argue that such a political arrangement would provide constitutional safeguards for their land rights, ensure administrative autonomy, and prevent what they describe as systemic marginalisation within the existing state structure.

On the other hand, the demand has been strongly opposed by sections of the Meitei community, who view any territorial reorganisation as a threat to Manipur’s territorial integrity. This sharp divergence has made the search for a political solution particularly complex and sensitive.

The inclusion of armed groups under the SoO pact in the Guwahati meeting also highlights the security dimension of the issue. These groups have been in ceasefire arrangements with the government for years, and their participation signals that any lasting settlement would need to address both political and security concerns to prevent a relapse into instability.

Political observers note that the Kuki-Zo resolution places the Centre in a difficult position. With Manipur under President’s Rule, the central government has greater administrative control, but also bears greater responsibility for steering the state toward reconciliation and political normalcy. At the same time, any move toward creating a new Union Territory would require broad political consensus and constitutional procedures, making it a challenging undertaking.

The resolution adopted in Guwahati is likely to sharpen debates in New Delhi over the future of Manipur and the broader approach to ethnic conflicts in the Northeast. As the 2027 deadline approaches, pressure is expected to mount on the Centre to articulate a clear political roadmap, even as it balances competing claims and concerns.

For now, the Kuki-Zo groups have drawn a clear line: without a negotiated political settlement addressing their core demands, they are unwilling to return to business as usual. Whether this ultimatum accelerates meaningful dialogue or deepens political deadlock will be one of the key questions shaping Manipur’s future over the next year.