The Village Volunteers, Eastern Zone (VVEZ), a Kuki-Zo community-based volunteer organisation in Manipur, on Saturday expressed serious concern over reports that some Kuki-Zo MLAs were holding joint meetings with Meitei MLAs in New Delhi.

In a statement issued by its Information and Publicity wing, the VVEZ asserted that Kuki-Zo legislators should refrain from participating in the formation of what it termed a “so-called popular government” in Manipur. The group maintained that the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities are now physically and geographically separated, a reality it said must be formally acknowledged.

Reiterating its long-standing demand, the organisation urged the Government of India to recognise this separation and grant a separate administrative arrangement in the form of a Union Territory for the Kuki-Zo people.

The VVEZ also cautioned against the resettlement of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the absence of what it described as a comprehensive political solution to the ongoing ethnic conflict, warning that such steps could further aggravate tensions and lead to renewed escalation.

Manipur has been grappling with prolonged ethnic unrest since violence erupted in 2023, displacing thousands of people. Political developments aimed at restoring normalcy continue to be closely monitored amid persistent demands from various stakeholders.