Sixteen Kuki village chiefs along the India–Myanmar frontier have refused to accept land compensation and announced a policy of “non-cooperation” against the ongoing border fencing project. The chiefs have demanded that all work be suspended until the political aspirations of the Kuki-Zo people are addressed.
In a joint statement, the chiefs said they had staged rallies and submitted memorandums opposing both the fencing and the proposed abolition of the Free Movement Regime (FMR). They maintained that no compensation claims or negotiations would be entertained until their demands are met and normalcy is restored in Manipur.
The protest comes amid calls by Kuki organisations for a separate administration, a demand strongly opposed by the Meitei community, which has emphasized the need to maintain Manipur’s territorial and administrative integrity.
Manipur shares a 398-km-long border with Myanmar, of which officials say fencing has so far covered around 10 km. Authorities have yet to respond to the chiefs’ latest stance.