Imphal: Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), Sadar Hills, Kangpokpi, a Kuki body, has sounded alarm after a Meetei man reportedly entered ‘Kuki-Zo territory’ across the ‘Buffer Zone’ on Wednesday, raising fears of renewed friction in the conflict-hit region.
The Meitei who entered the buffer zone was identified as Yumjao Angom, 50, of Sekmai Makhan Leikai, police confirmed.
According to CoTU in its statement, he was discovered near Saparmaina (Kuki dominant area) inside Kuki-Zo areas on August 20.
While the incident could have sparked tensions, the tribal body said, “The Kuki-Zo community in line with humanitarian values released him unharmed and facilitated his safe return.”
Even as it underscored the community’s restraint, CoTU condemned the unauthorized entry, describing it as a serious violation of the delicate peace being maintained.
It warned that such breaches undermine the mutually recognised territorial arrangements and risk disturbing the fragile balance of the Buffer Zone.
Calling on central forces and state police to tighten monitoring, CoTU stressed that strict vigilance was crucial for preserving communal harmony and respect for agreed boundaries. It cautioned that if authorities fail to prevent further intrusions, the Kuki-Zo community may be compelled to resume self-checks and verify vehicular movement, a practice it had suspended in the interest of peace. Any fallout from such steps, it added, would be the responsibility of the government and law enforcement agencies.
The incident comes at a time when tensions remain high in Manipur, with the ‘Buffer Zones’ serving as sensitive dividing lines between warring communities.
While CoTU reaffirmed its commitment to peace and coexistence, it also underlined that peace can only be sustained through mutual respect for territorial boundaries and adherence to established protocols.
The Kuki-Zo community have been defying Union Home minister Shah’s to allow ‘free movement’ in all roads of Manipur starting on March 8.
Lok Sabha MP Bimol Akoijam alleges that restrictions on movement persist within Manipur due to the de facto implementation of buffer zones, even though the government has clarified that no such zones officially exist.
Akoijam considers these restrictions a violation of Article 15 of the Constitution and indicative of a troubling communal divide masked as peacekeeping.
He claims the buffer zones, initially temporary security measures, have evolved into “imaginary and unconstitutional” lines of separation that deepen divisions between communities.
