UKHRUL: The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) on Friday issued a clarification asserting that remarks made by its chairman during a press conference a day earlier regarding the killing of six Naga civilians had been widely misconstrued as an admission that the Kuki-Zo community was responsible for the crime.
In a statement issued on June 26 by KZC spokesperson Ginza Vualzong, the Council said the chairman’s expression of regret was made “purely in the spirit of humanity, compassion, and moral responsibility” and was never intended to assign collective guilt to the Kuki-Zo people or suggest that the community was responsible for the killings.
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The clarification follows widespread discussion after the chairman, Henlianthang Thanglet, during a press conference on June 25, expressed regret over the killing of six Naga civilians whose bodies were recovered earlier this month. His remarks had prompted varied interpretations, with some viewing them as an acknowledgment of responsibility by the Kuki-Zo side.
According to the KZC, the chairman apologised to the bereaved families because the bodies of the six victims were recovered from areas inhabited by Kuki-Zo people, describing the gesture as one of empathy rooted in Christian values and humanitarian principles.
“This expression of regret must not, under any circumstances, be misconstrued as an admission, confession, or acknowledgment that the killings were perpetrated by the Kuki-Zo community,” the statement said.
The KZC further reiterated that no political, social or community institution representing the Kuki-Zo people had sanctioned, endorsed or supported the killing of innocent civilians. It maintained that those responsible for the crime remain unidentified and called for a fair, impartial and credible investigation to establish the facts and bring the perpetrators to justice.
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At the same time, KZC urged authorities to ensure that justice is applied equally to all victims of the ongoing conflict. It called for impartial investigations into the killings of Kuki-Zo civilians, destruction of villages, attacks on churches, the murder of religious leaders and other acts of violence, arguing that lasting peace cannot be achieved through selective justice.
The clarification comes a day after KZC chairman Henlianthang Thanglet stated on June 25 during a press conference: “Yes, I agreed that the Kuki-Zo has made a great mistake in killing of six ‘Kacha Nagas,’ civilian which is made out of emotion. I really regret it.” The remarks triggered widespread debate and were widely interpreted as an acknowledgment of responsibility for the killings. The Kuki-Zo Council now says that interpretation is incorrect, maintaining that the chairman’s statement reflected humanitarian remorse rather than an admission that the Kuki-Zo community perpetrated the crime.
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