Edited by Nengcha Haokip, By Kukiland Express Desk
Songpi, May 6, 2026
The Kuki Inpi Manipur on May 6 issued a strongly worded condemnation of ongoing violence in Kamjong and Ukhrul districts, holding sections of the Tangkhul community responsible for targeted attacks against the Kuki people. In press statement 04/KIM/PR/25-13 from its Lamka secretariat, the apex tribal body said the burning of Lanchah Kuki Village in Kamjong District constitutes a “grave and deliberate escalation” that demands immediate accountability and decisive state intervention. The statement placed the incident within a broader pattern of aggression documented by the Inpi in recent months.
The Inpi listed the burning of Gampal and Haijang villages, armed assaults on Kuki settlements, and what it described as the “ruthless murder of innocent Kuki civilians” as part of the same pattern. Despite these sustained and systematic provocations, the statement said, the Kuki community has responded with “measured restraint” in the larger interest of preserving peace and sustaining inter-community coexistence. The body stressed that Kukis have consciously refrained from retaliation to avoid unnecessary conflict, even as attacks on villages and civilians continued.
According to the Kuki Inpi, the repeated targeting of civilians and destruction of Kuki habitations reveal a deeply concerning trend that threatens to further destabilize fragile inter-community relations in the hill districts. The organization called for unequivocal condemnation from all responsible authorities and conscientious citizens, arguing that failure to denounce such acts risks enabling further violence. It described the current trajectory as one that merits urgent attention from both the state and civil society.
The timing of the Lanchah burning was flagged as particularly troubling by the Inpi. The attack occurred even as the Nagaland Joint Christian Forum (NJCF) had called for an immediate cessation of hostilities across the region. Actions that directly undermine peace initiatives, the statement said, reflect a disregard for collective efforts toward stability and reconciliation. The apex body also raised a humanitarian alarm over Chassad and adjoining areas, alleging that Kuki residents there are being denied essential commodities by neighboring Tangkhul communities.
Calling the denial of necessities unacceptable, the Kuki Inpi said the blockade constitutes a serious humanitarian concern and demanded that fundamental humanitarian obligations be upheld without exception. The statement urged relevant authorities and civil society stakeholders to intervene to ensure supply lines remain open and civilians are not targeted through deprivation. It framed the issue as a test of whether basic norms of coexistence will be maintained in the districts.
While reaffirming the Kuki people’s commitment to peaceful coexistence and mutual respect with all neighboring communities, the Inpi stated that its restraint should not be misconstrued as weakness. “The Kuki community stands resolute and prepared to safeguard its land, its rights, and its people against any further aggression,” the statement read. Signed by Janghaolun Haokip, Secretary for Information & Publicity, the press note closed with a call for immediate and effective measures to halt the violence, restore normalcy, and ensure accountability to prevent any recurrence.
