Kuki Shutdown Underscores Unfinished Reconciliation in Manipur

A complete shutdown, street protests and heightened security marked the visit of Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh to Churachandpur on Saturday as the district prepared for the final rites of former BJP MLA Vungzagin Valte , whose death has become a powerful symbol of the state's unresolved ethnic conflict.

Hundreds of members of the Kuki-Zo community gathered across the district, responding to a shutdown call backed by civil society groups and an armed organisation. Markets remained closed, public transport stayed off the roads and protesters blocked key routes, including stretches of Tedim Road near Kaprang. Tensions escalated further after armed individuals reportedly fired several rounds in the air near Jalengphai , a sensitive area bordering Bishnupur district, late on Friday night.

At least six organisations under the banner of the Kuki Civil Society Organisations (KCSOs) boycotted the Chief Minister’s visit, insisting that no Meitei official or delegation should enter the district until a lasting solution to the ongoing Kuki-Zo–Meitei conflict is achieved. The groups said issues relating to justice, rehabilitation and political settlement remain unresolved more than three years after violence first erupted in the state.

Despite the opposition, Khemchand Singh travelled to Churachandpur under heavy security cover. Additional police, central armed forces and other security personnel were deployed across vulnerable locations to prevent any untoward incidents. The visit was particularly significant as it was viewed as the first major outreach by the Chief Minister to the Kuki-Zo-majority district since assuming office after the lifting of President’s Rule earlier this year.

The funeral of Valte carries deep political and emotional significance. A three-time MLA from Thanlon constituency , Valte was brutally attacked by a mob in Imphal’s Nagamapal area on May 4, 2023 , a day after ethnic violence broke out across Manipur. The assault left him with severe injuries, and despite nearly three years of treatment in Delhi and Gurugram, he passed away on February 20, 2026 , at the age of 61.

Following his death, Zomi organisations formed the Zomi Coordination Committee (ZCC) , which sought a time-bound investigation by the NIA or CBI into the attack and demanded accountability for those responsible. The committee also reiterated calls for a separate administrative arrangement , including Union Territory status with a legislature for Kuki-Zo-majority areas. Community sources said Valte had himself written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi advocating greater autonomy for the region.

The ethnic conflict between the valley-based Meitei community and the hill-based Kuki-Zo tribes has claimed more than 260 lives , displaced tens of thousands of people and left deep divisions across Manipur since May 2023. Following the resignation of former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh , the state was placed under President’s Rule on February 13, 2025 , before an elected government was restored nearly a year later.

Saturday’s protests highlighted that, despite relative improvements in security, significant challenges remain in rebuilding trust and achieving reconciliation. For many in Manipur, Valte’s final journey served as a reminder that the quest for justice, peace and a durable political settlement is far from over.