Imphal: The United Naga Council (UNC), the apex Naga body in Manipur, held a one-day consultation meeting on Thursday to deliberate on the prevailing situation in the Naga ancestral homeland.
The closed-door meeting was held at the Tangkhul Baptist Church Imphal (TBCI) hall in Imphal and was attended by thousands of Naga leaders representing various civil society organisations, intellectuals, church leaders, student bodies, and concerned citizens from Naga-inhabited districts across the state.
Discussions during the consultation centred on the current situation in Naga ancestral areas and explored measures to address ongoing challenges and chart a way forward.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, UNC president NG Lorho said the consultation was productive and reflected valuable inputs from participants.
“The Nagas are a peace-loving people, and we seek peaceful coexistence with all communities in the state. However, if our stand for neutrality is misconstrued as weakness, we are bound to defend our people and protect our land,” Lorho said.
He further emphasised that the Nagas are neither aggressors nor oppressors towards any community but remain committed to defending their rights, protecting their ancestral land, and ensuring the safety and well-being of their people.
Expressing concern over the prolonged lack of safe passage along the Imphal–Ukhrul stretch of National Highway 202 due to what he described as inadequate security arrangements, Lorho said the state government must address the situation urgently.
He warned that if the government fails to resolve security concerns along the critical 3–5 km stretch between Mahadev (Wungvei) and Litan—considered a lifeline for residents of Ukhrul and Kamjong districts—the council may take alternative steps to ensure safe movement of people.
Referring to the recent Tronglaobi blast incident, which prompted a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, the UNC president questioned what he termed the state government’s lack of seriousness in addressing the situation in Ukhrul and Kamjong districts.
Meanwhile, UNC general secretary Vareiyo Shatsang said the organisation had initially adopted a position of neutrality during the conflict between the Meitei and Kuki communities to avoid taking sides.
However, he claimed the situation has changed, alleging that the rights of the Nagas had been affected, making it difficult for the community to remain silent.
“We must now defend our land and our people,” Shatsang said.
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He added that despite consultations with various communities, including those across the border, there had been little positive response.
Shatsang further said the Nagas had conveyed their concerns in what he described as a friendly and reasonable manner and urged other communities not to provoke tensions. Despite showing restraint, he alleged that provocations and encroachments continued in certain areas.
“We can no longer remain silent in the face of these actions. It is now necessary for us to take action, which is why we convened the consultation meeting today,” he added.
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