Kangpokpi: The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), Sadar Hills, Kangpokpi District has issued a strong press communique condemning the abduction of a 71-year-old Kuki man, Mr. Hemjang Haokip, from Khunkho Kuki Village on Friday afternoon. According to the CoTU statement, the incident took place at around 3 pm when suspected armed cadres belonging to Tangkhul-led NSCN-IM and ZUF-Kamson faction kidnapped the elderly villager from his own village. The committee termed the incident as the latest in a series of provocative acts aimed at churning communal tensions and belittling the hard-earned semblance of civility and peace that has been restored by the current dispensation in the state of Manipur after months of unrest. CoTU stated that targeting an innocent aged person who has no connection with any conflict is a cowardly and condemnable act that deserves the strongest condemnation from all peace-loving communities.
The CoTU in its statement expressed deep concern over the continued targeting of Kuki civilians by armed Naga groups operating in the region. The committee said that the abduction of Mr. Hemjang Haokip, an elderly man of 71 years who is oblivious to the current situation, is not an isolated incident but part of an unabated effort to flare up major ethnic tension between the Kuki and Naga communities of Manipur. It alleged that such acts are being carried out with a clear motive to disturb the peaceful coexistence that has existed between the two communities for decades. The committee noted that while the Kuki community has been consistently appealing for peace and has shown restraint despite repeated provocations, the continued aggression by Tangkhul-led armed groups is testing the patience of the people. It further said that the state authorities and central agencies must take serious note of this abduction and ensure the safe return of the elderly man.
In a sharp political observation, CoTU stated that this unabated effort of creating a Kuki-Naga divide is the only recourse left for the Kacha Tangkhul Naga to salvage their long-lost supremacy over the entire Nagas in the North Eastern states of India. The committee alleged that the Tangkhul supremacist ideology, which seeks to dominate the Naga political movement, has been losing ground among other Naga tribes in Manipur. CoTU pointed out that the recent suspension of the economic blockade by the United Naga Council (UNC) is a clear case in point for the dwindling down of Tangkhul supremacist ideology within the entire Nagas in the state of Manipur. According to CoTU, the UNC’s decision to withdraw the blockade against the wishes of certain Tangkhul leaders shows that other Naga communities are no longer willing to be dictated by a single group. Frustrated by this loss of influence, the Tangkhul-led factions are now resorting to kidnapping and intimidation of Kuki civilians to create a new conflict front and assert their relevance.
The committee also drew attention to the larger security implications of the incident. It said that Khunkho Kuki Village is a peaceful village in Sadar Hills and the abduction in broad daylight at 3 pm shows the impunity with which these armed groups are operating in the area. CoTU questioned how armed cadres of NSCN-IM, which is under ceasefire agreement with the Government of India, and ZUF-Kamson can freely move with arms and abduct innocent civilians. The committee said such actions not only violate the ceasefire ground rules but also pose a serious threat to the law and order situation in Kangpokpi district and adjoining areas. It urged the government to investigate the role of these groups and to ensure that the ceasefire agreement is not misused as a cover for criminal activities like kidnapping, extortion and intimidation of other communities.
Making a direct appeal for the safe release of the abducted elder, CoTU appealed to the abductors and those described as stooges of the Tangkhuls and the Liangmei to release Mr. Hemjang Haokip with dignity and without any harm. The committee emphasized that the victim is an aged man of 71 years, completely innocent and unaware of the current political complexities, and his continued detention would cause immense distress to his family and to the entire Kuki community. CoTU warned that any harm caused to the elderly man would lead to unnecessary tension in the region which is already fragile. The committee urged civil society organizations, church leaders, and Naga elders to intervene immediately and to counsel the armed groups to release the old man on humanitarian grounds. It stated that keeping an elderly person hostage is against all customary laws and human values upheld by both Kuki and Naga societies.
The incident has once again highlighted the fragile security situation in Manipur and the urgent need for the government to protect vulnerable Kuki villages located near the foothills and inter-district boundaries. CoTU reiterated that the Kuki community remains committed to peace but will not remain silent when its elders and civilians are targeted. The committee called upon the Governor of Manipur, the Security Advisor, and the district administration of Kangpokpi to launch immediate search and rescue operations to trace and safely bring back Mr. Hemjang Haokip to his family. It also demanded that an FIR be registered and strict legal action be taken against those involved in the kidnapping. CoTU concluded that maintaining communal harmony between Kuki and Naga communities is crucial for the future of Manipur and such divisive acts engineered by vested interests must be defeated by collective wisdom and timely action by the authorities.
