By: Ms. Kimneihoi Haokip
Kangpokpi, May 24, 2026
I do not take threats lightly, and I will not bow to hate speech disguised as debate. Ms. Julia Singlai, your call for a “final showdown” against Kukis on live television is not political discourse. It is incitement. If you frame my people’s existence as a contest for domination, hear me clearly: we, the Kuki people, are not afraid of the Tangkhul, or of any group that calls for our erasure.
We are not a people of empty talk. Our men, our village volunteers — they are brave, disciplined, and strong enough to defend our land and our families. We do not boast on television channels. We act when our homes are burned, when our women and children are targeted, and when our rights are trampled. Warfare is not our choice, but if war is brought to our doorstep, we are prepared. Our history has proven our resilience.
Let the record stand: we Kukis are indigenous to the Manipur hills, also known as Kuki Hills by historical record. This is our ancestral land, inherited from our forefathers long before colonial maps and modern state boundaries. These hills were never part of the Manipur kingdom, and our historical identity is documented and proven. No televised rhetoric can erase the truth of who we are or where we belong.
You label us “refugees” to delegitimize us. I reject that slander. We are not strangers on our own soil. Kuki, Meitei, and Tangkhul — we all have a history of migration. Stop calling one community a refugee. That is a direct challenge.
So let this be my reply to you: attack our land, attack our people, attack our rights — and there will be no excuse, no compromise, and no retreat. We did not choose this conflict, but we will not run from it. My community stands united, and we will defend our dignity, our territory, and our future with everything we have.
But I believe women must be the preachers of peace and love, not of hate speech and war. As a Christian, I am called to “Love your neighbour as you love yourself,” Mark 12:31. If we truly follow Christ, our words must heal, not inflame. I call on you, and on all mothers and daughters of the Tangkhul community, to reject rhetoric that divides and to stand for dialogue, dignity, and the peace our children deserve.
