Ukhrul, Jan 17: The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) has accused “Tangkhul militants” of waylaying six Kuki-Zo volunteers in the Tangkhul Hungdung area and has demanded the perpetrators be brought to the “concerned” within 24 hours.
The CoTU group reported that around 9:00 AM, some proscribed “Tangkhul militants” stationed in the Tangkhul Hundung area waylaid six unarmed Kuki-Zo volunteers who were fulfilling their duty roster. The group emphasized that these six individuals were assigned to protect their land, particularly the Phailengmol areas in Island Sub-Division, Kangpokpi, from ongoing aggression by the predominantly Meitei community over the past nearly two years.
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“An appeal may be made to the Nagas of Manipur, who claimed to be neutral in this ensuing communal conflict to uphold the good Samaritan nature and stringently act upon those in their fraternity like the Tangkhuls in Hundung and Singkap areas, who are hell-bent on destroying the overall neutral stance taken by the Naga communities of Manipur,” the CoTU said.
The CoTU said that the six alleged volunteers were released after physical assault and seizing of their vehicles, including personal belongings, through the intervention of one of the Tangkhul Hundung CSO leaders.
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Further, the Committee expressed strong condemnation of such “unprovoked harassment” of the Kuki-Zo volunteers by the said “Tangkhul militants” of the Hundung and Singkap areas.
The statement called for the individuals involved in the incident to be brought to the “concerned” within 24 hours of the press release. Failure to do so will result in Tangkhul Hundung and the Shingkap area being held solely responsible for any subsequent issues that may arise, it warned.
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