Kuki-Zo Students March in Manipur, Seeking Alternative Arrangements for Education Amidst Conflict

On Saturday, Kuki-Zo students marched three kilometers across the Churachandpur region of Manipur to draw attention to their suffering during the upheaval and to ask for "alternative arrangements" so they could finish their education.

A two-page document addressed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, stating that "even our students have been victimized in the ongoing unrest and have been subjected to ethnic cleansing in the (Meitei-majority) valley districts," was turned in to the deputy commissioner.

It went on, "A growing sense of alienation and disaffection has been spawned by the lack of any concrete steps in addressing the grievances of our students."

The Joint Students' Body (JSB), which has its headquarters in Churachandpur, the Kuki-Zo majority area, is a federation of student organizations that are part of the greater Zo community. It organized the "March Against Education Negligence."

"Kuki-Zo education matters," "We demand equal rights," "Imphal Valley of Death," "Hear our voice," "Stop attacks on education," and "Kuki-Zo medical students will become doctors too" were among the messages carried by the demonstrators on posters.

Since May 3, there have been more than 67,000 displaced persons and at least 181 fatalities from the violence between the mostly Christian Kuki-Zo tribal people and the predominantly Hindu Meiteis. Most Meiteis have left the hills controlled by their tribe, whereas Kuki-Zos have mostly left the Imphal Valley, where they are the majority Meitei.

According to a JSB leader, the march was organized to draw attention to the state government's purported indifference towards Kuki-Zo students and to demand prompt involvement from the federal government to solve issues that they have been raising on a regular basis.

The inability of the relocated Kuki-Zo kids to complete their education in the hill districts—including online and offline courses—as well as the destruction of school records due to the conflict are among the grievances. Students studying engineering and medicine as well as general courses are impacted.

According to a student, on May 3, the majority of Kuki-Zo pupils enrolled in Imphal were forced to evacuate without their things.

Some people in Imphal don't even have the money to finish their education since their families' houses and businesses were destroyed by fire. Because of the disturbance, even books that are bought online cannot reach Churachandpur," he remarked.

51 NIT Imphal relocated students, according to a student there, were finding it difficult to get used to the irregular online courses.

"In Churachandpur, there is nowhere for us to take in-person, hands-on lessons. To no result, we have submitted at least 19 representations to the state and federal authorities," he said.

Contacting authorities and spokespersons for the state government was unsuccessful.

The JSB convener N. Tonsing and joint secretary S. Taithul signed the memo to Shah, which stated that Saturday's march "demonstrates our resentment at the indifference of the Union government to the sufferings of our students and the complete neglect of their collective future" and that it "demonstrates the ever-growing feeling of alienation among our youth."

In order to keep the Kuki-Zo pupils "insulated" from danger and free from having to return to Imphal or any of the valley districts to finish their education, it was requested of Shah to "secure" the students' future.

Among the requests are:

the construction of technical and other higher education institutions throughout the hill regions, as well as a central university at Churachandpur.

Distribution of cash by the central government to organizations headquartered in the hills and led by indigenous people in order to empower them.

Churachandpur Medical College should be completed quickly, and lessons in the temporary location should be streamlined.

Online tests for Agniveer jobs, the NEET for medical college seats, the State Public Service Commission, banks, and the UGC will all resume immediately in Churachandpur.