Edited by Nengcha Haokip, Kukiland Express Desk
Songpi: May 13, 2026
The Kuki Organization for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR) on Monday condemned what it called a “barbaric and cowardly act” after Tangkhul armed groups allegedly set ablaze Molnoi Kuki village along the Indo-Myanmar international border. In a press release dated May 12, 2026, KOHUR described the incident as an unprovoked attack on a peaceful indigenous Kuki settlement, stating it constitutes a grave violation of human rights and a breach of the rule of law. The group said the assault was yet another calculated attack on the existence of the Kuki people.
According to KOHUR, Molnoi village, home to indigenous Kuki families who have inhabited their ancestral land for generations, has been reduced to ashes in what it said bears the hallmarks of a premeditated act of ethnic aggression. The organization stated that the deliberate targeting of civilian homes, destruction of livelihoods, and forced displacement of women, children, and the elderly cannot be characterised as anything other than a continuing campaign of ethnic cleansing aimed at erasing the Kuki presence from ancestral territories along the international border.
KOHUR noted with “profound alarm” that the attack is not isolated, but forms part of what it called a sustained and systematic pattern of armed aggression by Tangkhul-led groups against Kuki villages. It said the role of armed cadres operating openly along the Indo-Myanmar frontier, in defiance of ceasefire arrangements and constitutional norms, raises serious questions about the region’s security architecture and the State’s ability or willingness to protect indigenous communities.
The trust issued five demands. First, it called on the Government of India and the Government of Manipur to immediately deploy adequate central security forces to Molnoi and surrounding Kuki villages along the border to prevent further attacks and secure the return of displaced villagers. Second, it sought a high-level, time-bound, independent investigation into the burning of Molnom village, with identification, arrest, and prosecution of perpetrators and their handlers under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Third, it urged the Ministry of Home Affairs to review the conduct of armed groups under ceasefire and Suspension of Operations frameworks and take decisive action if cadres are found involved.
KOHUR’s fourth demand was for immediate relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction assistance for displaced Molnoi families, including full compensation for loss of homes, property, livestock, and livelihood. Fifth, it called for permanent security cover, including a dedicated outpost, at Molnom and other vulnerable Kuki border villages that have repeatedly come under attack.
The press release stated that the indigenous Kuki people have inhabited the hills, including territories along the Indo-Myanmar border, since time immemorial. It added that any attempt by armed factions to drive them off ancestral land through fire, terror, or coercion would be resisted by lawful and constitutional means, and documented before national and international human rights forums. KOHUR said it stands in unwavering solidarity with Molnoi residents and every Kuki village living under armed aggression, adding that “the silence of those who ought to speak, and the inaction of those who ought to act, will be remembered.”
