Sagaing: The Kuki National Organisation / Kuki National Army – Burma (KNA-B), Government of Kuki State has strongly rejected allegations linking the organization with the killing of four persons at Pilong village in Kamjong district.
In a press statement issued by the Ministry of Information and Publicity, General Headquarter on September 25, KNA-B categorically denied that any of its cadres crossed the India-Myanmar International Border (IMB) in connection with the incident. The organization also rejected allegations of any KNA-B operation inside Indian territory. KNA-B said that such allegations are baseless and aimed at maligning the image of the organization.
KNA-B also strongly disputed the description of the deceased as innocent civilians. According to sources cited by the organization, the four individuals were NSCN (IM/EF) cadres allegedly involved in illegal drug-trafficking activities. KNA-B maintains that the individuals were killed on the Myanmar side of the international border while allegedly engaged in drug-related activities. It said that labelling drug transporters as innocent villagers is misleading and far from the truth.
The organization further alleged that following their death, cadres associated with NSCN (IM/EF) subsequently carried the bodies across the border and brought them to the village, thereby creating the circumstances in which the incident has subsequently been portrayed as a killing of civilians on Indian soil. KNA-B said that this act was done to create a false narrative and to shift the blame onto Kuki groups operating in the region.
KNA-B reiterated that it does not permit its areas of operation to be used for the transportation, storage or trafficking of illegal narcotics and rejected any attempt to associate the organization with the illegal drug trade. The organization said that it has a strict policy against drugs and has been working to prevent drug smuggling in its operational areas along the Indo-Myanmar border.
The statement comes after NSCN-IM leader Leisan Asa had earlier claimed that four innocent Naga villagers of Pilong were killed by Kuki militants. The claim was also rebutted by VVEZ – The Kuki Village Volunteers, who said the deceased were not villagers but drug transporters linked to the Phungtha Brigade of NSCN-IM. The conflicting claims have created tension in the Kamjong area, which is close to the international border and is known to be a sensitive corridor.
KNA-B called for the entire sequence of events, including the location of the incident, activities of the deceased, movement of the bodies and any cross-border movement, to be established based on verifiable facts rather than unsubstantiated allegations. The organization demanded an impartial investigation based on GPS coordinates, border pillar verification and post-mortem reports to establish where the killing actually took place.
The organization also appealed to all concerned, including civil society organizations and media, to refrain from spreading unverified information that could escalate tension between communities. It said that peace along the border can only be maintained if facts are respected and not distorted for propaganda.
