Already separated from Manipur: KPA Secy
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, February 27 2025: A video of Kuki People's Alliance (KPA) general secretary WL Hangshing has surfaced online, in which he asserted that the separation of the Kuki-Zo community from Manipur is irreversible and must be enforced.

The video, claimed to have been recorded on Wednesday, was shared on X by a user.

In the video, WL Hangshing, a retired IAS officer, who had held the post of additional chief secretary in the state government, declared, "Our target, from now, is that we are already separated.

We are already partitioned from Manipur, and that cannot be changed.

It is a reality on ground.

And that, we have to enforce that.

We have to enforce our separation, there's no compromise here" .

He further stated that peace or any arrangements for settlement can only come after a "formal partition" is granted, adding that there is "no point asking for other things like delimitation" as the community has "passed that point" .

Hangshing added, "The moment we talk about these things, it means we want to go back to Manipur.

We can't go back to Manipur".

Highlighting the deep divisions caused by the ongoing ethnic conflict, he claimed that it will take "at least three generations for the two communities to come together" and that a mere handshake cannot erase the impact of what he describes as a "hate campaign" .

Hangshing demanded a separate administration, stating that the Kuki-Zo community should receive "separate schemes, separate development, separate recruitment, separate education, hospitals" and should no longer be dependent on Imphal.

"Unless the framework of partition is given and the separate administration is given, on our own equal terms, then we will negotiate.

That will come only afterwards," he insisted.

Reiterating his stance on peace, he remarked, "Peace is not something you can declare overnight.

We declare peace, so you'll be at peace! Peace has to be built piece by piece by piece, brick by brick" .

The community-specific Kuki People's Alliance has two MLAs in the 60-member Manipur Assembly.

They are Kimneo Hangshing and Chinlunthang representing Saikul and Singhat assembly constituencies respectively.

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