Ukhrul: The Working Committee of the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL WC) on Monday expressed shock over Manipur Home Minister K Govindas’s remarks on the Kamjong attack and and demanded clarification regarding his statement that there was no foreign aggression.
The statement was made during his visit to Namlee, Wanglee and Choro villages on Saturday, where he met with affected residents and assessed the damage caused by the incident.
In a statement, the TNL WC said that it is deeply unfortunate and insensitive that the Home Minister openly appeared to shield Kuki ‘narco-terrorists’ through such a reckless statement.
They said his remarks not only created confusion among the general public but also added insult to the sufferings of the Tangkhul Nagas whose homes, properties, and livelihoods were burnt, looted, and destroyed on 7th May 2026 in Choro, Namlee, and Wanglee villages, it stated.
The Working Committee claimed that there is clear video evidence, recorded by Assam Rifles personnel on May 7 immediately after the assault, showing that Choro village was attacked by KNA-B. Multiple eyewitnesses have also testified that the coordinated assault originated from across the border, directly implicating KNA-B.
Furthermore, the Assam Rifles confirmed that they rescued a Tangkhul Naga woman from KNA-B on May 9, stating: “The woman was abducted by KNA (B) and Village Volunteers Eastern Zone (VVEZ) from Namlee”. The release took place south of Z Choro village close to the incident area under the watch of Assam Rifles, Intelligence and other agencies, it stated.
Additionally, the Working Committee stated that a Suo motu case was registered by Kamjong Police [FIR No. 05 (05) 2026/CSD-PS], which stated: “On 7 May 2026 at about 3:30 a.m., some unknown armed miscreants suspected to be KNA (B) (Kuki National Army, Burma), numbering about 50 to 60 and armed with sophisticated firearms, entered Choro village, Kamjong district, by crossing the Indo-Myanmar Border (IMB) and carried out terrorist attacks using sophisticated weapons, explosives, and drones.”
With such overwhelming evidence already on record, the TNL Working Committee questioned what compelled the Home Minister to categorically deny that the attack was an act external aggression.
The Home Minister further claimed that “an official report was not submitted to the government.” In response, the TNL Working Committee questioned what he considers the Suo motu FIR registered by Kamjong Police to be, and what compelled him to make such an irresponsible and misleading remark. They also questioned whether the Home Minister was acting under the influence of Deputy Chief Minister, Nemcha Kipgen.
The TNL Working Committee also noted that the local MLA Leishiyo Keishing, during spot visit on May 8, had clearly stated that the “attack on Namlee, Wanglee, and Choro villages by suspected KNA (B) and PDF militants was an act of external aggression. They questioned whether the Home Minister is now implying that an elected MLA, who has sworn an oath under the Constitution of India, is lying.
Further, the Working Committee questioned how the Home Minister could be so confident that there was no foreign aggression, asking where more than 100 heavily armed Kuki narco-terrorists had come from, given that only a handful of Kuki settlements exist in those border areas.
The TNL Working Committee further noted that the Home Minister’s visit to the three affected villages was accompanied by the three MLAs from the community.
The TNL WC asserted that the responsibility now lies with these three elected representatives to make their position clear.
“When our land, our rights, and our very lives are under attack by Kuki narco-terrorists who now appear to enjoy political protection, our representatives cannot remain mute spectators or blindly follow the state government for political convenience,” it stated.
“The time has come for them to stand for truth and justice and call a spade a spade,” stated the TNL Working Committee.
The Working Committee also raised the uncomfortable but necessary question of whether the Ministry of Home Affairs is orchestrating this entire crisis as part of a larger agenda to militarize the Naga border areas, despite the Nagas’ longstanding position that the existing border is arbitrary and imposed.
The TNL Working Committee also stated that the true intent of the Assam Rifles remains deeply questionable.
The Assam Rifles company stationed barely half a kilometer away from Choro village arrived at the site nearly three hours after the assault began. Even if the Assam Rifles claim they could not move under the cover of night, what excuse remains when this attack occurred in broad daylight? the Working Committee questioned.
Even more disturbingly, TNL said that the so-called “Sentinels of the North-East” visited Namlee and Wanglee villages only the following day, after the attacks had already devastated the villages, despite the proximity of their post being barely half a kilometer away. Ironically, the same Assam Rifles were swift to claim credit with the statement, “Assam Rifles swiftly averts major escalation in Kamjong, Manipur,” which, it said, clearly contradicts their actions on the ground.
It also stated that it is tragic that, during such a critical time for the Tangkhul Naga community, both the state and central governments continue to treat their lives and lands as expendable for political gamesmanship. The Tangkhul Nagas, it said, are now forced not only to defend themselves against relentless assaults by Kuki narco-terrorists and other Kuki SoO groups, but also to endure hypocrisy, indifference, and denial from the very governments entrusted with protecting their citizens.
The TNL Working Committee demanded that the Home Minister immediately clarify the false and deeply offensive statement he made in an apparent attempt to feign ignorance of the glaring issue at hand. Failing to do so, it added, would force Tangkhul CSOs to take necessary action against him as deemed fit.
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