Meitei Civil Society Groups Appeal PM Modi, HM Shah For Intervention Amid Continuing Ethnic Tensions In Manipur
Two Nagas were killed in a fresh ambush by suspected Kuki militants in Manipur's Ukhrul district on Saturday afternoon.
Published : April 18, 2026 at 8:09 PM IST
New Delhi: A coalition of Meitei civil society and student organisations on Saturday demanded urgent intervention from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah against Kuki militant groups amid continuing ethnic tensions in the state.
Led by several women activists from the Delhi-based Meitei communities, the coalition outlined a series of demands in a memorandum submitted to both Modi and Shah aiming to restore law and order and ensure justice for recent civilian killings.
At the core of the demands is the complete and immediate disarmament of all Kuki militant groups, including those currently operating under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreements.
The signatories further called for declaring all Kuki militant organisations operating outside the SoO framework unlawful. They also urged immediate legal action against such groups.
“In our memorandum, we also pressed for an end to any form of state support, funding, protection, or use of Kuki militants as auxiliary forces," said Lily, a woman member from the Meitei community to ETV Bharat.
The Meitei organisations, including the Delhi Meitei Co-ordinating Committee (DMCC), Manipur Students Association Delhi (MSAD), United Kakching Students (UNIKS) and Manipur Innovative Youth Organisation (MAIYOND) also staged a protest demonstration in the national capital before submitting their memorandum.
Lily said that supporting any militant groups undermines public trust and fuels the ongoing conflict.
"We called for strict and uncompromising action against militants involved in acts of terrorism, along with an independent and transparent investigation into all attacks attributed to these groups," said Lily.
A key demand of the group includes legal action against Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel allegedly involved in civilian deaths during recent protests.
The groups also urged an immediate halt to the “weaponisation” of ethnic groups in Manipur and other multi-ethnic regions, warning that such trends pose a serious threat to national unity and internal security.
Referring to legal precedents, the memorandum cites observations of the Supreme Court of India on the use of armed civilian groups, arguing that the state cannot support one community against another.
"We also appealed to the government to immediately stop any alleged use of Kuki militants against other communities, including Meeteis and Nagas," Lily said.
The organisations further demanded the immediate restoration of the rule of law in Manipur, stating that prolonged inaction has emboldened militant groups and deepened the crisis. They warned that failure to act decisively could further erode public confidence in governance and security institutions.
The memorandum comes against the backdrop of the killing of two minor children earlier this month, which the groups described as a “terrorist attack” carried out by Kuki militants.
Talking to ETV Bharat, Sreeram Rojesh, a member of the Meitei civil society organization said the incident has intensified anger and mistrust among sections of the Meetei community.
“The incident reflects a pattern of targeted violence that has been witnessed in the State since May 2023,” said Rojesh.
According to the document, there have been hundreds of reported attacks over the past three years, resulting in significant loss of life and displacement. It claims that despite the deployment of tens of thousands of central security personnel, militant activities have continued with impunity.
The signatories also raised concerns over what they describe as a “selective response” by security forces, alleging that while Meetei areas have faced combing operations, similar actions have not been consistently carried out in Kuki-dominated regions. This, they argue, has contributed to a growing perception of bias and discrimination.
In addition, the civil society members also highlight incidents of attacks on other indigenous communities, including Naga villages, and call for comprehensive measures to prevent further escalation.
Urging swift action, the organisations stressed that immediate and decisive intervention by the Centre is essential to restore peace, justice, and stability in Manipur, warning that continued inaction could aggravate the already fragile situation in the state.
Meanwhile, the working committee of Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL), a Naga apex body, strongly condemned a deadly attack on civilians near Yaolen Kuki village in Manipur’s Ukhrul district, where two Tangkhul Naga individuals were killed.
The organization said that Chinaoshang Shokwungnao (45) and Yaruingam Vashum (42) were killed in an attack that took place around 2:35 p.m. on Saturday.
The group alleged Kuki militants targeted civilian vehicles using snipers despite security presence in the area.
Demanding an immediate combing operation in the affected and adjoining areas to restore safety, the TNL criticised both state and central governments, accusing them of failing to curb violence and allowing militant activities to persist unchecked.
The incident occurred shortly after the Chief Minister of Manipur Y Khemchand visited Ukhrul.
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