The Working Committee of the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) issued a strong communiqué on August 31, questioning the silence of both the Manipur state government and the Union Ministry of Home Affairs regarding repeated crimes against Naga civilians amid the ongoing Kuki‑Naga conflict. The statement asserts that the authorities have failed to respond adequately to a series of violent incidents targeting Naga communities in the state’s hill districts.
TNL points to a stark contrast in how cases involving Kuki victims have been handled. After two alleged illegal migrants involved in narco‑trade were killed in Kamjong district on March 11, 2026, the chief minister announced NIA involvement the following day. Similarly, the killing of three Kuki church leaders in May was promptly transferred to the National Investigation Agency. In contrast, the committee says comparable atrocities against Nagas have been ignored, sidelined or delayed, raising concerns of bias and negligence.
The communiqué cites several specific incidents: an ambush near Litan Police Station on April 18 that killed two Naga civilians; an assault on Naga Village Guards in Ukhrul on April 24 that left one dead and four critically injured; repeated attacks in the Ringui Horei hills throughout April and May; and cross‑border aggression on the villages of Choro, Wanglee and Namlee by Myanmar‑based groups backed by Kuki militants. The most brutal episode, according to TNL, occurred on May 13 when 18 Liangmai Naga civilians were abducted at Leilon Vaiphei, six of whom were later found butchered. The NIA intervened only in July, weeks after the killings. Additional attacks include the killing of a carpenter in Noney district, the July 1 burning of Tangkhul villages Huimin Thana and Kherongram, and an August 27 ambush on Liangmai civilians along the IT Road allegedly carried out by cadres of the Kuki National Front and Kuki Revolutionary Army.
TNL demands that all cases of abduction, looting, killings, molestation and arson perpetrated by Kuki militants be transferred to the NIA or investigated by a high‑level central commission. The committee also calls for the rehabilitation of victims and indemnity for damages suffered in villages such as Choro, Wanglee, Namlee, Huimin Thana and Kherongram. It urges both the Manipur government and the Union Home Ministry to uphold their responsibility and accountability, warning that selective handling of cases undermines democratic principles and constitutes a gross violation of universal human rights.
