The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum has condemned the burning of three houses in Lhangkichoi Veng, a Kuki-Zo border town in Moreh and the indiscriminate firing at the village by “Meitei commandos around 3:30 pm on Saturday.”
The ITLF in a condemnation note issued on Sunday said the firing broke out between “unidentified gunmen and Meitei commandos” resulting in civilian houses burned by “trained [Meitei] military personnel,” at Lhangkichoi Veng. It accused the “communal state forces” who were advancing towards Lhangkichoi Veng involving in the firing and burning of houses saying that the state force are “supposedly posted in the area to maintain peace and security.”
ITLF said the state forces retreated and ran inside an Assam Rifles camp.
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It also said that the firing incident in Moreh on Saturday “comes after a gunfight near the tribal village of Nakhojang in Kangpokpi district earlier yesterday. Nakhojang and nearby Singda Kuki village were burned down by Meitei mobs on May 5, and all the villagers fled to relief camps.”
Stating that the latest incident again highlights the fact that tension and violence will continue as long as armed Meitei forces are posted in tribal areas during an ethnic conflict involving the two sides, the ITLF maintained that it is no secret that many Arambai Tenggol militants are embedded among the Meitei state forces with the blessing of authorities.
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Furthermore, stating that Jamesbond Ningomba, a member of Arambai Tenggol, was killed at Nakhojang, while the others [Arambai Tenggol cadres] fled towards Kadangban, the nearest Meitei village, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum claimed that the Arambai Tenggol cadres were preparing to attack tribal settlements.
ITLF added that Jamesbond Ningomba also works as a journalist for the Meitei vernacular Naharolgi Thoudang and is a key contributor to the anti-tribal propaganda of the Meitei media. Naharolgi Thoudang was edited by CM Biren Singh before he became a politician. It also said that Rajya Sabha MP Sanajaoba Leishemba, who openly endorses Arambai Tenggol, expressed his condolences on Facebook, stating: “Oh…RIP… my beloved child.”
In regard to the firing incident on Saturday, Manipur police took to X and said “one Rifleman namely Rfn. No. 15007660 G. Ponkhamlung of 5th IRB presently attached to Spl. CDO was injured in his right thigh by a splinter during an ambush by unknown armed miscreants at Moreh, Tengnoupal District.”
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Manipur police in another tweet on X on Sunday wrote [without disclosing identity] that one civilian was injured in a firing incident by unknown armed miscreants at Kadangband and later succumbed to his injuries on Saturday.
It is worth noting that the Imphal Free Press reported the death of Jamesbond Ningomba as a “village volunteer” on night duty who was killed by Kuki militants at Kadangband, Imphal West district.
The popular valley based newspaper also reported of “another village volunteer of Tumukhong seriously injured in bomb blast during attack by Kuki millitants from Maphou Dam on Sunday morning at 8:25 am, and four more IRB personnel injured in further clashes with Kuki militants near Moreh.”
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Meanwhile, The Hills Journal, a Churachandpur [kuki-Zo dominated district] based news portal reported the firing incident as bid to lay ambush on Kukis by Meitei militants, intruding into the “kukis’ land of Nakhujang village,” resulting in the killing of an Armabai Tenggol cadre [Jamesbond Ningomba].
“The incident happened at around 3:30 am in the morning when the Kuki village volunteers conducted patrolling in and around the village jurisdictional areas wherein they encountered the militant group of Arambai Tenggol invading Nakhujang village of Kangpokpi district. As per sources, the Meitei armed goons had been there in the jungle for about two days then. A fierce gunfight thus ensued for about an hour,” reported the The Hills Journal.
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