Imphal: The United Naga Council (UNC) on Friday appealed to Meitei and Kuki-Zo, the two warring communities in the ongoing violence in Manipur, to immediately stop targeting, provoking and attacking the Nagas, their homes and properties in the Imphal valley and also in the peripheral hill areas.
“Should this appeal go disrespected in the Imphal valley, we will have no option but to call upon the Nagas populace in Imphal valley to vacate it for taking up further appropriate measures thereafter,” said the UNC, an apex Naga body in Manipur.
The Naga body further said, “On the same lines, should the Kuki-Zo group continue targeting Nagas, free access to Naga township and villages and free passage across Naga areas will have to be prohibited.”
Despite the position of neutrality decided upon by the Nagas to restore peace and communal harmony in the wake of the May 3 violence, the UNC said that there are instances of attacks and incidents on Nagas amid the ongoing unrest in the state.
The UNC presented several instances when Meiteis and Kukis targeted the Naga population of Manipur.
According to the UNC, on May 24, 2023, four Naga women from Ukhrul were attacked and molested by a mob in Imphal. On June 18, 2023, a Liangmai Naga house was burnt down at Leimakhong by Kukis. Again, on July 16, 2023, a Maring Naga woman was shot dead at Sawombung in Imphal and the body was found mutilated.
Also, on September 5, 2023, a Liangmai farmer was beaten by KRA personnel on the Imphal-Tamei road for refusing to pay illegal tax. On September 27, 2023, there was an attempt to murder, involving gun firing against Naga leaders by a self-proclaimed KNF cadre at Kangpokpi. On December 3, 2023, three Tangkhul men were beaten up by armed Meiteis at Sawombung, Imphal. On December 11, 2023, two Rongmei Naga girls were beaten up at Bishnupur Bazaar.
On December 11, 2023, one Naga driver from Tamenglong was beaten up at Imphal. On December 18, 2023 – four Naga girls working in a beauty parlour were kidnapped in Imphal. On January 29, 2024, a Tangkhul Naga boy was kidnapped from Mantripukhri, Imphal and on January 31, 2023, two Zeliangrong Nagas were kidnapped and held hostage from Bishnupur District.
In addition to the attacks and targets on Nagas, the UNC said, the Nagas were subjected to unwarranted cutting off inter-village roads/blockage/construction of bunkers/ checking/frisking/extortion of taxes along the National Highways and inter-district roads by armed Kuki militants and womenfolk. Nagas also witnessed violent behaviour, kidnapping, looting and extortion by radicalised Meitei groups and womenfolk in Imphal valley.
“In all these acts of violence, intimidation, disrespect and insult, the common admission of mistaken identity has been cited. In the interest of peace, despite the extreme provocations, Nagas have addressed the many sensitive situations and sought to resolve them through customary laws and practices. Yet, time and again, our people have been attacked with impunity, making a mockery of the many agreements and resolutions for restoration of peace and good relations,” said the UNC.
It further stated that the Meitei legislators, who ‘submitted’ to the Arambai Tengol on the January 24, 2024 can no longer claim to be the Government of the entire state of Manipur and have limited its powers, functions and relevance to the valley and the Meitei community only.
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It has allowed itself to be dictated and co-opted into a radicalised organization. “It is no wonder that the attack on Nagas in Imphal Valley has not been prevented nor addressed with state instruments as it should be with a state government in place. The Meitei legislators and the Government of India owe it to the people of India to explain what it has been doing for the last 9 months with the situation going from bad to worse day by day, while Nagas have become victims of its neutrality to the conflict,” it added.
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