Just two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Manipur, the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) announced on Monday, September 15, 2025, that it has withdrawn from the agreement it signed on September 4 with the Union Home Ministry (MHA) regarding the reopening of National Highway-2. The Council stated firmly that the highway will remain closed until a concrete settlement is reached between the warring Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities. This decision highlights the deep-seated ethnic violence that first flared in May 2023, causing the critical highway to shut down.
The KZC, representing various Kuki-Zo groups, issued a statement emphasizing that without a resolution to the conflict, movement across the designated “buffer zones” by either community is strictly prohibited. “The KZC has not declared NH-02 open, and no free movement is currently allowed on this route,” the statement clarified. It noted that their previous request for cooperation with security forces in Kangpokpi, aimed at ensuring commuter safety on NH-02, did not imply unrestricted access.
Upholding Buffer Zones
The Council reiterated the crucial importance of respecting the “buffer zones” at all costs. “Any breach of these zones will inevitably lead to severe repercussions and further destabilize peace and security,” the KZC warned. They also condemned any deliberate misrepresentation of their stance, stressing that such actions only sow confusion and distrust during an already sensitive period. The KZC urged the Meitei public to acknowledge these facts and act with the utmost responsibility.
A senior government official, commenting on the KZC’s latest statement, suggested that the Council might be subtly shifting its position. Initially, the KZC insisted that buffer zones should remain until their demand for a separate administration was met. Now, by stating that buffer zones should stay until a “settlement or agreement is reached between two communities,” it indicates a potential openness to dialogue with Meitei groups to end hostilities.
It’s worth noting that on September 4, the MHA had prematurely announced the KZC’s agreement to open National Highway-2 through Kangpokpi district for “free movement of commuters and essential goods.” This announcement was made with Prime Minister Modi’s anticipated visit to the ethnically troubled state on September 13 in mind.
While the highway is technically open for general traffic, community members from both the Kuki-Zo and Meitei sides are still hesitant to cross into each other’s territories. The ongoing ethnic clashes, which began on May 3, 2023, have tragically claimed approximately 250 lives and displaced around 60,000 people. NH-2 is vital for transporting essential supplies to the landlocked Imphal valley and serves as the primary route to Imphal airport, which has been inaccessible to Kuki-Zo people since the violence began.
PM’s Visit: A Mere Stopover?
Lun Kipgen, spokesperson for the Kangpokpi-based Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU), expressed his skepticism regarding the Prime Minister’s recent visit to Manipur, describing it as little more than a “stopover” after inaugurating projects in Mizoram.
“The Prime Minister does not appear serious about resolving the Manipur crisis,” Mr. Kipgen stated, adding that for the Kuki-Zo community, “at least his visit symbolically signifies that his party in the State bears responsibility for the crisis.”
Following Mr. Modi’s visit, on September 14, youth in Churachandpur clashed with police, demanding the release of two individuals arrested for removing posters related to the Prime Minister’s visit. The police subsequently released the suspects. This marked Prime Minister Modi’s inaugural visit to Manipur since the ethnic violence erupted in May 2023. During his speech, he called for enhanced dialogue to foster harmony between Manipur’s hill and valley districts.