Marking the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, the Kuki Organization for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR) has urged urgent national and international action to address the worsening humanitarian crisis faced by the Indigenous Kuki-Zo people in Manipur. While celebrating the resilience and cultural heritage of Indigenous communities worldwide, KOHUR said the day must also confront the grim realities of conflict-affected populations in the state since violence erupted on May 3, 2023. According to KOHUR, the conflict has claimed more than 230 lives, destroyed over 1,500 villages, and reduced some 7,000 homes to rubble. An estimated 60,000 people remain displaced, many of them crammed into temporary relief camps where overcrowding, poor sanitation, and limited resources have become daily struggles.
The organisation warned that prolonged displacement could lead to severe long-term socio-economic consequences, including loss of livelihoods and the breakdown of community stability. The Trust highlighted critical shortages in functioning healthcare facilities in Kuki-inhabited hill districts. Many relief camps lack safe drinking water, contributing to the spread of preventable diseases. Reports of maternal health complications and malnutrition are also on the rise. KOHUR expressed concern over road connectivity and the safety of movement for affected families, noting that access to markets and medical services often requires navigating unsafe or difficult routes. The group called for investment in all-weather roads and measures to restore secure mobility between affected areas.
The organisation criticised changes to border policy, particularly the fencing of the Indo-Myanmar border and the suspension of the Free Movement Regime, which they said had disrupted traditional trade, travel, and cultural ties for border communities. KOHUR urged that such projects be implemented only with the consent of affected communities, in keeping with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). In its appeal, KOHUR called on authorities to restore healthcare, clean water, and education services in conflict-hit regions; review policies that impact Indigenous populations; and consider administrative arrangements to ensure both security and welfare.
