Imphal:

A village chief from the Kuki tribes has termed as “baseless” an allegation by a woman that Kuki villagers assaulted her when she tried to build a house in Manipur’s K Lungwiram Naga village in Kangpokpi district.

Haopu Vaiphei, the chief of Leilon Khunou village, in a statement said no assault or misunderstanding happened as alleged by the woman to reporters. The Vaiphei tribe is part of the umbrella term Kuki.

“… Team of Leimakhong police station led by the OC [officer in charge] timely reached the spot and prevented all possible misunderstandings between the two parties,” the village chief said in the statement.

The woman and her brother had said when they went to build a house on a plot in K Lungwiram Naga village, some men from the Kuki tribes came and allegedly assaulted her. K Lungwiram village falls under Kangchup Geljang subdivision in Kangpokpi district.

In the statement, the Leilon Khunou village chief said the woman’s unfounded allegation has flared up emotions, and appealed to the public not to be misled by such baseless claims.

“… The fact was that, on seeing the levelling of the ground with JCB [bulldozer], some village elders including some women approached her and cordially asked her to stop the work as it was not appropriate to take up such activities during this time due to the prevailing unrest in the state.

“To avoid further misunderstanding and complications, each party agreed not to take any video dips of the incident at the site. The team of Leimakhong police station led by the OC timely reached the spot and prevented all possible misunderstandings between the two parties.

“Further, the sub-divisional officer of Kangchup-Geljang visited the site on the same day, met both the parties and verbally requested not to take up any further issue as he would call for a hearing within a few days. Accordingly, the hearing at the office of Deputy Commissioner, Kangpokpi is scheduled on January 10,” the village chief, Haopu Vaiphei, said.

“It was unfortunate that the said lady, later in the evening, made a video clip alleging physical assault which was totally baseless. Further, such unfounded allegation has flared up emotions from our Eastern Liangmai Women Union to block the road at Makhan village, causing immense misery to commuters including the sick, children and the elderly…” Mr Vaiphei said.

“Our Side Of Story”

Rufina Chindeiniang from the village chief’s family in a nearly eight-minute video statement said the woman does not live in the village, and she came from the state capital Imphal.

“Let us all remember that every coin has two sides. You all have heard their story. Now please listen to our side of the story. She does not live in Lungwiram. She came from Imphal. The incident is not linked to Lungwiram village. She bought the land in her individual capacity from another person, Amson, who is the chief of Konsakhul, meaning he is the king there, and he sold land from our Leilon Khunou village. We never knew about it,” Ms Chindeiniang said.

“For example, if somebody comes suddenly to your land without any prior notice to build a house, what would you think… In brief, on January 6, we requested earnestly, very humbly, that till there is some clarity, please stop the work since it was Leilon Khunou village land. Once clarity comes, they can continue their work. They came the next day with workers. Despite requesting them again, they continued working on the land…” Ms Chindeiniang said, adding the woman must instead question how did Amson sell the land that did not belong to him.

Ms Chindeiniang said they have all relevant documents to prove land and village ownership, and asked the woman to bring her papers if she wishes to put up a challenge. She also asked the woman, who wanted to build a house, not to drag in the entire Naga tribes at a sensitive time in Manipur just to solve her individual issue.

The civil society group World Kuki-Zo Intellectual Council (WKZIC) has already condemned a “quit notice” served to Kukis by the Konsakhul Village Authority, “based on invalid British India 2 anna revenue stamp of 1893 (manipulated and forged land lease agreement written in ballpoint ball ink), appropriated for 12th October 1920 when ballpoint pen was invented only in 1938…”

WKZIC appeal to the villagers of Khonsakhul pic.twitter.com/gtBf2JETnY

— WORLD KUKI-ZO INTELLECTUAL COUNCIL (WKZIC) (@wkzic) January 9, 2025

The Konsakhul (Konsaram) Village Authority in a memorandum on Wednesday said the “Leilon Vaiphei were allowed to settle as tenants on land of the Konsaram Naga,” and they must vacate the village land in 15 days.

The WKZIC in a statement posted on X said, “Leilon Vaiphei Kuki village and its hamlet villages are located within the British Jampi Area 1907 of Khongjai Hills (1741-42) and Kuki Hills (1852-1949), respectively.”

Naga Organisation’s Claims

The Foothill Naga Joint Action Committee in a statement questioned claims by the Kangpokpi-based Kuki organisation Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) that the Konsakhul-Leilon boundary dispute was a village-level issue.

“… Why did CoTU representatives arrive at our gate late at night on January 8, seeking to apologise? Besides, how can you explain the involvement of your so-called ‘tiger party/refugee militants’ outraging modesty of a Naga woman on January 7 K Lungwiram. Your actions contradict your words, and now your modus operandi has already been exposed,” the joint action committee said.

“Our commitment to neutrality in the conflict between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities remains steadfast. This neutrality does not grant you the right to mock or challenge our position. We have consistently demonstrated our dedication to peace and neutrality, yet you continue to test our patience with your immature provocations…” it said.

Imphal/New Delhi:

A village authority and civil society organisations of the Naga tribes in Manipur have condemned an alleged attack by members of the Kuki tribes on a woman over her attempt to build a house on a plot of land in the village, which the village authority says is exclusively a Liangmai Naga village.

The Konsakhul (Konsaram) Village Authority in a memorandum on Wednesday said the “Leilon Vaiphei were allowed to settle as tenants on land of the Konsaram Naga,” and now they must vacate the village land in 15 days.

The woman’s brother told reporters they went to build a house on a plot in K Lungwiram Naga village when some 30 men from the Kuki tribes came and assaulted her.

He alleged they also threatened to burn the equipment including a bulldozer if his sister insisted on building her house.

K Lungwiram village falls under Kangchup Geljang subdivision in Kangpokpi district, 45 km from the state capital Imphal. The Vaiphei tribe is part of the umbrella term Kuki.

“… You have blatantly ignored the fact that on humanitarian grounds Leilon Vaiphei were allowed to settle as tenants on the land of Konsaram Naga. Of late, you have been indulging in anti-social activities, targeting innocent Naga villagers in the Konsaram area, showing scant regard to our generosity and kindness,” the Konsakhul (Konsaram) Village Authority said in the memorandum.

“… As the lease agreement signed between the landlord (Konsaram) and the tenant (Leilon) have already expired, therefore you are hereby asked to vacate your village from the land of Konsaram within 15 days from the date of issuing this order. Failing which you will be forcefully evicted from our soil…” the village authority said.

The village authority sent the memorandum to the Manipur chief secretary, security adviser Kuldiep Singh, the state police chief and other officials.

The woman who alleged she was assaulted by men from the Kuki tribe appealed to Naga civil society organisations for help. She alleged the attackers broke her phone, and pushed and hit her. Her brother shared a video in which a group of men were seen charging towards a bulldozer in an open field.

“I am the person who was assaulted,” the woman told reporters, flanked by her brother. “I came to my village, wanted to build a house. The Kukis said I can’t build a house there. Some 10-20 of them came, attacked me. They broke my phone and pushed me down on the ground.”

Her brother alleged the men used “very bad language on her.”

No Kuki organisation in the district has given a statement on the matter yet.

Liangmai Naga Women Announce Blockade

A large number of women from the Liangmai Naga tribe announced an “indefinite blockade” of Makhan Gate, a key thoroughfare in the area.

Indigenous People’s Forum president Ashang Kasar sought immediate action from the district administration and law enforcement agencies, and assurance of safety and protection for the Naga villagers of K Lungwiram.

The civil society organisation said the “woman was physically assaulted and thrown to the ground while overseeing land levelling work using an excavator.”

“Video evidence has surfaced, clearly depicting Kuki individuals verbally harassing the villagers, threatening their safety, and using profanities. The victim, along with other witnesses, reported the mob’s unruly behaviour and their deliberate obstruction. This heinous act highlights a blatant disregard for peace and mutual respect. Such actions cannot and must not be tolerated,” the Indigenous People’s Forum, a civil society organisation, said. “The Kukis, who reside as tenants on Naga ancestral lands, must acknowledge and respect the rights and dignity of the landowners.”

In December, several civil society organisations of the Naga tribes in Manipur condemned alleged assault by Kuki “volunteers” on members of a student’ body of their tribes in Manipur’s Senapati district. The Senapati District Students’ Association (SDSA) alleged their members were “brutally assaulted and harassed” by Kuki volunteers in Gamgiphai in the district.

The matter was solved after members of the Kangpokpi-based Kuki group Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), the Kuki Students Organisation (KSO), and the Senapati Action Committee (SAC) met on December 26 to defuse tension. As part of the agreement, CoTU had to offer a written apology.

Guwahati:

The all-important meeting to find a way out to resolve the 17-plus-month-long ethnic strife in Manipur was held in New Delhi on Tuesday, the Union Home Ministry said in a statement. The meeting was the first of the deliberations convened by the government after the ethnic conflict broke out between the majority Meitei and minority Kuki-Zo communities in Manipur on May 3 last year.

A group of elected members of Manipur Assembly, representing Kuki-Zo-Hmar, Meitei and Naga communities, met to discuss on the current scenario in the northeastern state. 

The participants unanimously resolved to appeal to people from all communities to shun the path of violence so that “no more precious lives of innocent citizens are lost”.

The meeting was called by the Intelligence Bureau and was monitored by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The Kuki-Zo MLAs who attended the meeting said they represented the people and were their voice. The Kuki-Zo people, they said, wanted a separate administration in the form of UT with legislature. There can’t be talk of peace before this demand is met, they said.

A stament from the Kuki-Zo delegation read, “The Kuki-Zo MLAs also emphasized their full confidence in the leadership of the KNO-UPF and confirmed that they have no additional demands beyond those already presented by the KNO-UPF. They urged that political dialogue with the KNO-UPF leadership should resume at the earliest. Additionally, the MLAs reaffirmed their stance and expressed reluctance to participate in any joint meetings with the Meitei and Naga MLAs. They emphasized any such meetings should only occur after thorough deliberation with the public”.

The conclusions of the four-hour meet, however, were not disclosed to the media.

Among those who attended were Manipur Assembly Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh, MLA Thongam Biswajit, belonging to the Meitei community, and representatives from the Kuki community — Letpao Haokip and Nemcha Kipgen, both ministers.

MLAs Ram Muviah, Awangbow Newmai and L. Dikho represented the Naga community.

Kuki-Zo MLAs who participated in today’s meeting included Haokholet Kipgen, Letpao Haokip, Ngursanglur Sanate and Nemcha Kipgen

The ministry’s northeast affairs advisor, AK Mishra, the BJP’s northeast coordinator and Lok Sabha MP Sambit Patra and other senior officials were also present, sources said.

Imphal/Guwahati/New Delhi:

Members of the Kuki tribes held rallies and protests in parts of Manipur today, demanding a separate administration carved out of the ethnic violence-hit state bordering Myanmar.

There were reports of skirmishes at the district border between protesters in Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi and volunteers who formed a human chain to prevent the protests in Naga-dominated Senapati, officials said.

The Kuki tribes have been asking the Centre to create a Union Territory with legislature for them. They held the rallies in Churachandpur’s Leishang, Kangpokpi’s Keithelmanbi, and Tengnoupal’s Moreh.

Many shouted slogans against Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, who belongs to the BJP. Posters called for action against the Chief Minister over a purported leaked tape, which the Kukis alleged proved Mr Singh engineered the Manipur crisis.

The Biren Singh government has called the tape “doctored”. The purported tape has been given to a commission of inquiry formed by the Home Ministry, along with affidavits by some people who claimed the tape was genuine, according to reports in the news website The Wire.

In the Meitei-dominated Imphal valley, businesses responded to an appeal by the women civil society group Meitei Leima and pulled down shutters. Public transport also didn’t run in protest against the rallies by the Kuki tribes.

BJP Spokesperson’s House Attacked Again

While the Kuki rallies and protests were going on, Manipur BJP spokesperson and Thadou tribe leader T Michael Lamjathang Haokip’s house was vandalised and set on fire in Kuki-dominated Churachandpur district today. This was the third attack at his house since the Meitei-Kuki ethnic violence began in May 2023. The Chief Minister in a post on X condemned the attack.

“The burning of my home will not make me disown my Thadou identity. Pure Thadou, who disowns Kuki, segregation games from ultra Kuki extremists and supremacists begin; follow me or not. We begin,” Mr Haokip said in a post on X.

The burning of my home will not make me disown my Thadou identity. Pure Thadou, who disowns Kuki, segregation games from ultra Kuki extremists and supremacists begin; follow me or not. We begins.

— T. Michael Lamjathang Haokip (Thadou) (@TMLH4BJP) August 31, 2024

Mr Haokip has said he has been raising awareness about his tribe, Thadou, being inaccurately referred to as a Kuki tribe amid the ethnic tension in Manipur. This has angered “Kuki supremacists” as they do not want to accept the Thadou tribe’s distinct identity, Mr Haokip said.

Many other recognised tribes in Manipur did not participate in the Kuki-led protests today, and communicated their decisions through public statements — unlike on May 3, 2023 when under the banner of the All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM) some non-Kuki tribes participated.

Just days after the clashes on May 3 last year, 10 Kuki MLAs (from the 60-member assembly) had raised the demand for a separate administration. Since then, Kuki leaders and civil society groups have said the violence has necessitated their demand and there can be no going back.

Separate Administration Demand

However, Kuki civil society organisations, the 10 MLAs, and 25-odd Kuki-Zo insurgent groups that have signed the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement (a ceasefire of sorts, yet to be renewed) – all of them have been demanding nothing less than a separate administration, bringing them together on a common platform.

The SoO groups have been in talks for a separate administration – a political settlement – for many years before May 2023, and so the claim by some Kuki leaders that the violence led to their call to break away from Manipur was a lie, since the intention for separation was always there, sources in the Manipur government had told NDTV.

The clashes between the valley-dominant Meitei community and the nearly two dozen tribes under the Kukis nomenclature – a term given by the British in colonial times – who are dominant in some hill areas of Manipur, has killed over 220 people and internally displaced nearly 50,000.

The general category Meiteis want to be included under the Scheduled Tribes category, while the Kukis who share ethnic ties with people in neighbouring Myanmar’s Chin State and Mizoram want a separate administration, citing discrimination and unequal share of resources and power with the Meiteis.