Eastern Liangmai Naga Chief/Chairman Association Condemns Attack on Konsakhul, Demands Immediate Action

Ukhrul, April 13: The Eastern Liangmai Naga Chief/Chairman Association (ELNCA) condemns, in the strongest terms, the recent criminal assault and arson carried out by Kuki militants on 5th April 2025 at Konsakhul. This deliberate and orchestrated attack, framed under the pretext of a curfew, is an affront to the identity, dignity, and rights of the indigenous Naga people.

On the fateful day, while villagers were working on their land, Kuki militants and their volunteers launched an unprovoked assault. Several villagers were injured, and as of now, both the village chief and chairman remain in critical condition in the hospital. Tenants who were allowed to reside on our lands out of goodwill and humanitarian consideration are now wilfully participating in these well-orchestrated acts of violence. Guided by external handlers, their actions are part of a broader strategic agenda to construct a network of roads that facilitates the continuous influx of illegal immigrants and to encircle and dominate both the indigenous Nagas and Meiteis. A key example of this encroachment is the so-called ‘German Road,’ built without consent on indigenous Naga land and serving as a critical route in this expansionist plan.

In response to these events, the Young Kuki press statement attempts to downplay the attack as an “inter-village dispute.” However, the World Kuki Zo Intellectual Council (WKZIC) further exacerbates the situation with its justification of the incident and the recent Memorandum (Ref No. 58/WKZIC-GHQ/ (Memo)/2023-25, dated April 10, 2025), which distorts historical facts. The statement claims that a Survey of Kuki villages was conducted in 1911 in the Sadar Hills rea of Manipur, although Sadar Hills did not even exist until May 22, 1947. This is just one example of how historical narratives are manipulated to justify and serve a political agenda.

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The Kuki refugees’ ongoing attempt to redefine their history and identity as indigenous people of Manipur while making simultaneous claims of being a lost tribe of Israel and reincarnations of Buddha is part of a broader strategy of obfuscating the truth to create narratives as per their vested interest and circumstances. Moreover, official records reveal that until the 1960s and 1970s, the Kuki community was openly receiving refugee relief funds from both Delhi through the MP and the Government of Manipur.

The sudden imposition of a curfew without prior warning, followed by incidents of assault and arson led by an Assistant Sub-Inspector (AST) from the Veiphei community- carried out in full view of the security forces raises serious concerns about the role and neutrality of state and central security forces. Equally alarming is the fact that despite being under Suspension of Operation (SoO), Kuki militants are frequently seen in full combat gear, openly carrying automatic weapons while occupying makeshift camps and bunkers with impunity.

The ELNCA is deeply alarmed by the increasing frequency and brazenness of such incidents, particularly since the imposition of President’s Rule. Recently, a woman was attacked for leveling her plot of land in Lungwiram under Konsakhul. This unchecked violence is creating a de facto war-like situation aimed at furthering the expansionist agenda of illegal refugees who seek to carve out a “Zalengam” or “Kukiland” from Naga lands- a sentiment recently expressed by a student leader in Delhi, which has gone viral. If left unaddressed, the indigenous Naga people risk being reduced to refugees in their homeland.

Also read | Konsakhul VA Strongly Condemns Brutal Attack by Kuki Militants Disguised as Civilians; Demands Immediate Action Against Complicit Officials

ELNCA’s Demands for Immediate Action:

To restore peace and protect the rights of the indigenous people, the ELNCA calls upon the government to take the following actions:

1. Provide justice to the victims by acting on the FIRs and ensuring the swiff arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the assault and arson per the law.

 2. Dismantle all illegal structures, barricades, bunkers, and makeshift camps, and take immediate action to disarm Kuki militants operating in the region.

3. Establish police outposts in all sensitive areas inhabited by indigenous Nagas to ensure adequate protection and security.

Also read | Liangmai Body Alleges Coordinated Attack in Konsakhul

4. Review and revoke the implementation of the SoO agreement, ensure the impartial conduct of security forces, and take immediate steps to restore justice, peace, and democratic order in Manipur.

5. Ensure a quick resolution of the Konsakhul issue. If justice is not swiftly delivered, the Indigenous Naga people will be forced to take all necessary steps to protect our rights over our lands. We will not be held responsible for untoward incidents arising from such actions.

The ELNCA can no longer remain a passive observer to the systematic and criminal acts of aggression carried out by the Veiphei community and other perpetrators. These acts are part of a larger conspiracy to seize our lands, encircle us with their road networks, and ultimately force us out. We stand firm in our commitment to defend our rights and protect our heritage.

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(This is the press statement of the Eastern Liangmai Naga Chief/Chairman Association, issued on 13 April 2025)