Imphal, July 29: The Manipur International Youth Centre(MIYC) has declared its full support for the ongoing indefinite bandh called by the Foothills Naga Coordination Committee, opposing the unauthorised construction of the Tiger or German Road through Indigenous Naga foothill territories.
In a press release, the MIYC described the protest as a peaceful, conscience-driven assertion of Indigenous sovereignty over ancestral land, identity, and democratic consultation rights.
The Committee has rejected the construction of the road connecting Churachandpur to Kangpokpi, calling it a direct violation of traditional land rights and a perceived ethnic provocation due to its links with Kuki militant leaders. It also demanded the immediate removal of camps belonging to Kuki armed groups operating near or within Naga-inhabited areas, citing threats to territorial integrity, rampant drug trafficking, and the expansion of poppy cultivation around the route.
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Blockades have been enforced at several strategic points including Makhan in Kangpokpi district, Tongjei Maril (Old Cachar Road), Dolang Chiru, Tupul-Noney Junction, and Longsai-Khoupum Road in Noney district.
The MIYC stated that the development violates the principle of Free, Prior and Informed Consent under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, asserting that no development project should override Indigenous ownership without proper consultation.
The release referenced past Kuki–Naga clashes, particularly the 1992–1998 conflict which displaced over 50,000 and claimed more than 1,000 lives, alleging that the naming and construction of the road aims to normalise Kuki presence in Naga lands. It also warned of proxy militarisation, where camps of armed groups could serve as launchpads for renewed violence.
The MIYC refuted claims that the road was a humanitarian necessity for Kuki-Zo communities, stating that Meitei and Naga groups have never barred such movement and that the narrative is being used to justify encroachment and aggression.
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It highlighted the violence that began on May 3, 2023, which left around 258 people dead, thousands injured, and over 60,000 displaced. It alleged the destruction of homes, temples, and churches, with state response widely condemned as inadequate.
Calling the protest a necessary human rights defense, the MIYC urged the Indian government to recognise the committee’s authority to halt the road construction, remove armed group camps from Indigenous areas, and launch credible investigations into narcotics-linked activities. It also called for a mediation platform under the Constitution of India and international Indigenous rights frameworks.
Citing Manipur’s contested merger with India in 1949, the MIYC argued that ongoing territorial violations and demographic manipulation are modern extensions of past injustices.
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It warned that continued neglect of these demands may escalate tensions and that responsibility for any future conflict will lie with authorities. The Tiger or German Road, the release said, may appear as development to outsiders but represents a violation of sacred land built without consent.
The Manipur International Youth Centre concluded by calling on the Indian state and international community to act urgently in upholding constitutional protections and Indigenous self-determination, and to prevent further occupation, demographic engineering, and cultural erasure.