Deputy CM Nemcha Kipgen Calls for Ongoing Buffer Zones Amid Government Formation
Updated (3 articles)
Tri‑Community Coalition Takes Office After President’s Rule The new Manipur government was sworn in on Feb 4 2026, ending a year of President’s Rule. Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh (Meitei) leads a cabinet that includes Deputy Chief Ministers Nemcha Kipgen (Kuki‑Zo) and Losii Dikho (Naga) to represent the state’s three major ethnic groups[1]. The coalition aims to address the fallout from the May 3 2023 ethnic clashes that left more than 250 dead and displaced roughly 60,000 people[1].
Nemcha Kipgen Sworn Virtually, Operates From Kangpokpi Kipgen took her oath of office at Manipur Bhawan in New Delhi on Feb 4 2026 and has not traveled to Imphal, citing security concerns[3]. She remains in her home district of Kangpokpi and has yet to receive a specific ministerial portfolio[3]. Despite her physical absence from the Assembly, she pledges to fulfill her duties through coordination with officials and security agencies[3].
Deputy Chief Minister Calls for Continued Buffer Zones Kipgen urged that buffer zones separating Meitei and Kuki‑Zo communities remain in place to allow healing where wounds are still deep[1][2]. She emphasized listening to each community’s pain and preserving shared heritage while ensuring safety for children[1]. The call follows ongoing protests by Kuki‑Zo civil‑society groups who oppose tribal legislators joining the elected government[3].
Sexual‑Assault Victim’s Death Highlights Ongoing Justice Gaps An 18‑year‑old woman abducted and gang‑raped during the 2023 clashes died in January 2026 after two years of severe health decline[2]. The Central Bureau of Investigation has made no arrests or filed a charge sheet, despite a Supreme Court‑ordered status report on the investigation[2]. Kuki community groups have demanded accountability, linking her death to the broader failure to prosecute perpetrators of 2023 violence[2].
Sources
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1.
The Hindu: Healing Manipur: Deputy CM Calls for Continued Buffer Zones: reports Kipgen’s virtual oath, her call to keep buffer zones, and the tri‑community government formation after President’s Rule.
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2.
The Hindu: Manipur’s 2023 Sexual Violence Victim Dies, Justice Still Elusive: details the victim’s abduction, her death in Jan 2026, and the lack of CBI arrests, highlighting calls for accountability by Kuki groups.
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3.
The Hindu: Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen Defends Role Amid Community Protests: describes Kipgen’s oath in Delhi, her operating from Kangpokpi without a portfolio, and protests by Kuki‑Zo groups against her appointment.
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Timeline
1972 – Manipur attains full statehood, launching a decades‑long insurgency that later fuels ethnic tensions among Meitei, Kuki‑Zo and Naga groups [1].
May 3, 2023 – Ethnic clashes erupt between Kuki‑Zo and Meitei communities, killing more than 250 people and displacing around 60,000, sowing the seeds of the prolonged humanitarian crisis [1][3].
May 15, 2023 – An 18‑year‑old woman is abducted from Imphal and gang‑raped by members of the radical Meitei outfit Arambai Tenggol in Wangkhei Ayangpeli, creating a high‑profile sexual‑violence case linked to the unrest [2].
2025 – The state remains under President’s Rule for a year as the central government attempts to restore order after the 2023 violence [3].
Jan 2026 – The 18‑year‑old victim of the 2023 gang‑rape dies after two years of severe health decline, reigniting calls for justice [2].
Jan 2026 – Kuki community organisations publicly demand accountability for her death, tying it to the broader failure to prosecute perpetrators of 2023 sexual assaults [2].
Feb 4, 2026 – A tri‑community coalition government takes office; Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh (Meitei) is sworn in, while Nemcha Kipgen (Kuki‑Zo) and Losii Dikho (Naga) become Deputy Chief Ministers, ensuring representation of the three major ethnic groups [3].
Feb 4, 2026 – Nemcha Kipgen takes her oath virtually at Manipur Bhawan in New Delhi, remains in Kangpokpi without an assigned portfolio, and declares she joined the government “in good faith, not for personal ambition,” pledging to serve the people [3].
Feb 4, 2026 – Kuki‑Zo civil‑society groups protest her appointment in Churachandpur, passing a resolution opposing any Kuki‑Zo legislators from joining the elected government, reflecting deep mistrust of the new coalition [3].
Feb 19, 2026 – The Central Bureau of Investigation reports no arrests or charge sheet in the 2023 gang‑rape case, despite a Supreme Court order for a status report, underscoring stalled justice [2].
Feb 20, 2026 – Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen urges that buffer zones between Meitei and Kuki‑Zo communities remain, emphasizing safety, shared heritage and the need to listen to each community’s pain; she stresses “our shared spaces, tribal heritage, cultural values, languages, faith traditions, social institutions, and our future, especially the future of our children,” and notes she cannot travel to Imphal for the Assembly session due to security concerns [1].