Imphal: The Village Volunteers Coordinating Committee (VVCC), a Kuki-Zo outfit, has expressed deep shock and disappointment after learning about a recent press statement from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
The statement, published on the Press Information Bureau (PIB) website, claims that the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) agreed to open National Highway-02 for the free movement of commuters and essential commodities in exchange for an extension of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement.
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On Wednesday, September 3, 2025, the Union Home Ministry and the Manipur government signed a revised SoO pact with the Kuki-Zo insurgent groups.
The Ministry announced the development on Thursday, September 4, citing “re-negotiated terms and conditions or ground rules.”
In a statement issued on Friday, the VVCC strongly condemned what it called a unilateral decision. The Committee criticized the move for being made without consulting the general public or the primary stakeholders directly affected by the ongoing conflict. The VVCC declared the decision “null and void.”
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Reaffirming its stance, the VVCC stated, “We maintain our principled position: there shall be no free movement for the Meitei community within Kuki-Zo territories until the Government implements a de jure separate administrative arrangement for the Kuki-Zo people.”
In response to the development, the VVCC announced a complete boycott of the Kuki-Zo Council. It warned the KZC that if it continues its activities without withdrawing the decision, it will bear full responsibility for any resulting consequences.
The VVCC also clarified that SoO groups do not represent the Kuki-Zo people in any official or mandated capacity.
While the Committee does not oppose the groups’ decision to sign or extend the SoO pact with the Government of India, it emphasized that such decisions do not reflect the collective will or political aspirations of the broader Kuki-Zo population.
“We urge all members of our community to remain united and vigilant in protecting and advancing the interests of the Kuki-Zo people,” the statement concluded.