Ukhrul, September 7: The Foothill Naga Coordination Committee (FNCC) has issued a sharp warning against the proposed relocation of a camp belonging to a Kuki militant group into what it describes as Naga ancestral territory, saying the move could spark violent conflict.
In a statement released on Sunday, the FNCC said it was “deeply shocked and terribly frustrated” by reports that the “Thingsat” camp of an unlawful Kuki armed group may soon be shifted to Kharam Vaiphei village in Kangpokpi district and renamed as “Lhangkichoi.” The group said such a development would amount to an “insult” and an “undermining” of the rights of the Naga people in the foothill areas.
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The Manipur government, which has been reviewing the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki groups, had only last month assured Naga communities that their concerns would be respected. FNCC leaders said they withdrew their earlier agitation on the strength of that assurance.
“Yet today, we are confronted with alarming reports that Kuki militant groups are to be provided a safe haven in our ancestral land,” the statement said.
The FNCC warned that the establishment of the camp would inevitably trigger bloodshed between the Naga and Kuki communities. It further declared that if the camp was allowed to take shape, the road running through Naga ancestral territory — a vital link between Churachandpur and Kangpokpi, heavily relied upon by the Kuki community — would be sealed off.
The group also threatened to evict what it called “illegal Kuki villages” built on Naga land without consent. “We will no longer tolerate the deception of Kuki refugees and their militants misusing our ancestral land for drug trafficking and illegal smuggling,” the statement read.
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The FNCC laid full responsibility for any escalation at the doorstep of the Manipur government. “If bloodshed occurs, the government shall bear full responsibility,” it warned.