Kamjong: The Office of the Kuki Village Volunteer, Eastern Zone has issued a detailed rebuttal to the statement and appeal dated 25th September 2026 made by Leisan Asa, Secretary of Wung Tangkhul Region, GPRN, representing the NSCN-IM. In its press release bearing Ref No. VVEZ-PR/047/09-26, the Kuki Village Volunteer Eastern Zone said it categorically rejects the narrative advanced by the NSCN-IM leader and is placing facts and clarifications on record for public understanding.
On the question of Naga political aspirations, the Kuki Village Volunteer Eastern Zone clarified its position, stating that the Kuki people have no objection to the political aspirations of the Naga people. However, the group maintained that no political movement or settlement can legitimately extend to encroachment upon or appropriation of Kuki ancestral lands. The statement said the position is straightforward that the Kuki Village Volunteer respects the political aspirations of others and expects the same respect for Kuki ancestral land and political rights from all.
Addressing the unresolved legacy of the 1990s, the Kuki Village Volunteer recalled that the violent Kuki-Tangkhul led conflict spearheaded by NSCN-IM in the 1990s resulted in the destruction, abandonment and loss of numerous Kuki villages and ancestral settlements. The organisation stressed that it does not seek land belonging to any other community and that its demand is strictly confined to the restoration and reclamation of Kuki ancestral villages and lands which were lost during that conflict period.
The Kuki Village Volunteer further explained its political demand in the statement. It said the demand for a Union Territory with a Legislature comprising Kuki ancestral areas is an independent political demand of the Kuki people. It is not a demand formulated against, or dictated by, the NSCN-IM. The group said attempts to mischaracterise or obstruct this legitimate political demand will not alter its position, and asserted that the Kuki people will continue to pursue their political aspirations through lawful and democratic means without any intimidation.
On the most contested part of the recent exchange, the clarification regarding the four deceased NSCN-IM cadres, the Kuki Village Volunteer Eastern Zone gave a direct contradiction. It stated that none of the four deceased NSCN-IM cadres belonged to Pilong village, nor were they innocent civilians as claimed by the NSCN-IM in its earlier statement. The organisation said this misrepresentation of facts needs to be corrected in public domain and the truth must be told.
The Kuki Village Volunteer made serious allegations about the background of the four individuals. Based on information and materials in its possession, the group claimed that these cadres were transporters associated with a narcotics network operating in Kamjong district and were linked to an individual described as the second-in-command of the NSCN-IM Phungtha Brigade. The volunteer body said these are serious allegations and should be subjected to an impartial investigation and verification by the appropriate authorities instead of being covered up by political statements.
The organisation also asserted that it is in possession of detailed information and supporting material concerning the identities, affiliations, movements, associations and activities of the individuals concerned. It said it stands by the information presently available to it and reserves the right to release further documentary evidence and supporting material into the public domain as circumstances warrant, if the need arises to establish the truth.
Raising the larger issue of narcotics in the region, the Kuki Village Volunteer said the issue of narcotics and alleged links between armed organisations and illicit networks cannot be dismissed through political statements. It demanded credible investigation, transparency and accountability into the operations of such networks in Kamjong district. The group said the people of the area deserve to know the facts and the authorities must act without bias and with responsibility.
Reiterating its unambiguous position, the Kuki Village Volunteer Eastern Zone declared that the Kuki people seek no land that does not belong to them. At the same time, the statement said, they will not surrender their ancestral land, historical villages, or legitimate political aspirations under any pressure. It added that no organisation has the authority to dictate the political future of another community or to claim territorial entitlement over the ancestral lands of the Kuki people.
The Kuki Village Volunteer therefore called upon all concerned parties to engage with historical facts responsibly, refrain from misrepresentation, and address competing political claims through legitimate political and democratic processes rather than intimidation or distortion. The statement was issued by the Information and Publicity wing of the VV Eastern Zone with the motto “In defence of our Ancestral land” and ended with a call for peace through truth and mutual respect for all communities living in the region.
