By Kimbawinu Vaiphei, Kukiland Express Desk
Songpi: April 28, 2026
The United Naga Council on Monday rejected as “fabricated and misleading” a report by the Facebook page _The Watchpoint Journal_ which claimed the UNC’s April 24 meeting at Tahamzam, Senapati, had considered a war mandate against the Kuki-Zo community. In an official statement, the UNC clarified that no such mandate was placed before the house and no resolution on escalation was adopted during the meeting. The council said the social media post distorted the proceedings and risked inflaming tensions across Manipur’s hill districts.
According to the UNC, the April 24 meeting adhered to Naga customary practice and unanimously affirmed that the Naga people must collectively address issues concerning land, with particular attention to Ukhrul, Chandel, Tamenglong, and the undivided Senapati district. The house agreed that proper modalities and wider consultations would be worked out before any course of action is undertaken, stressing deliberation over unilateral decisions. The UNC emphasized that this collective approach reflects its commitment to “Forward With Unity” and that no district stands against broader Naga interests.
The clarification directly counters _The Watchpoint Journal’s_ April 24 post, which alleged that a high-level UNC coordination meeting failed to produce a decisive resolution on “escalating tensions with the Kuki-Zo community” because key bodies resisted a move toward full-scale war. The page further claimed that the Chandel Naga CSO and Tamenglong Naga CSO both declined to endorse any trajectory toward full-fledged conflict. The UNC did not address the specific bodies named, but maintained that no war-related proposal was tabled or voted on.
Reaffirming its position, the UNC urged all Nagas not to be misled by divisive reports and said official updates will be issued only through UNC channels. The council warned that unverified social media narratives could undermine inter-community relations at a time when the state remains fragile. It reiterated that safeguarding land rights and pursuing Naga political aspirations will be guided by unity, consultation, and customary mechanisms, not by calls to conflict circulating online.
The controversy comes amid heightened scrutiny of ethnic narratives in Manipur, where both Naga and Kuki-Zo organizations have accused external actors of spreading misinformation. By disavowing the “war mandate” claim, the UNC sought to distance itself from escalatory rhetoric while keeping focus on land issues across the four Naga-majority districts. The council closed its statement by appealing for calm and collective wisdom, stating that divisive claims serve neither peace nor the Naga cause.
