Manipur: Kuki groups warn Meiteis against climbing 'sacred' Thangjing Hill

Imphal: Kuki-Zo civil society organisations have "warned" the Meitei community against climbing the Thangjing Hill in Manipur's Churachandpur district, stating that any attempts "will be opposed tooth and nail".

The Thangjing Hill is considered a sacred site for Meiteis who visit it in April.

In a statement, six Kuki-Zo groups said any attempt to climb the hills would be viewed as a "direct challenge".

"There is speculation that the Meitei community intends to cross the buffer zone for Chinga Kaba at Thangting Hill in the month of April. No political settlement has been reached between the Government of India and the Kuki-Zo community, and without such an agreement, the Meitei community has no jurisdiction to enter Kuki-Zo land," it said.

"Whoever attempts to cross the buffer zone shall be considered a direct challenge to the Kuki-Zo community, and any untoward incidents that occur during such attempts shall be solely the responsibility of those who undertake them," it added.

The groups, among which were Kuki Inpi Churachandpur and Kuki Students Organisation Churachandpur, appealed for maintaining the status quo and preventing further escalation.

"Any intention to cross the buffer zone will be opposed tooth and nail by the Kuki-Zo community," the statement said.

The buffer zone, which is heavily guarded by security forces, separates the Meitei-controlled Imphal Valley and the Kuki-dominated hill districts.

More than 250 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in the ethnic violence between the two sides since May 2023.