TNL questions silence over crimes against Nagas

DIMAPUR, AUG 31: The Working Committee of the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) has issued a strong communiqué questioning the silence of both the Government of Manipur and the Union Ministry of Home Affairs over repeated crimes committed against Naga civilians in the ongoing Kuki-Naga conflict.
In a statement issued by Working Committee TNL alleges that while crimes involving Kuki victims are swiftly transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), similar atrocities against Nagas have been ignored, sidelined or delayed, raising concerns of bias and negligence.
The communiqué highlights contrasting cases, noting that when two alleged illegal migrants involved in narco-trade were killed in Kamjong district on March 11, 2026, the chief minister announced NIA involvement the very next day. Similarly, the killing of three Kuki church leaders in May was promptly handed over to the NIA. However, the TNL points out that numerous incidents of abduction, ambush and killings of Naga civilians have not received the same statutory attention.
Among the cited cases are the April 18 ambush near Litan Police Station that killed two Naga civilians, the April 24 assault on Naga Village Guards in Ukhrul that left one dead and four critically injured, and repeated attacks in Ringui Horei hills throughout April and May. The communiqué also records external aggression on border villages Choro, Wanglee and Namlee by Myanmar-based groups backed by Kuki militants.
One of the most brutal incidents occurred on May 13, when 18 Liangmai Naga civilians were abducted at Leilon Vaiphei, six of whom were later found butchered beyond recognition. The communiqué notes that the NIA only moved into action in July, weeks after the killings. Other attacks include the killing of a carpenter in Noney district, the burning of Tangkhul villages Huimin Thana and Kherongram in Kamjong district on July 1, and the August 27 ambush on Liangmai civilians along the IT Road allegedly carried out by cadres of the Kuki National Front and Kuki Revolutionary Army.
The TNL accused the authorities of overlooking “gross violation of universal human rights and external threats committed against the Nagas” despite clear evidence of coordinated assaults by Kuki militants operating under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the Government of India. It questioned why the governments have maintained “a questionable silence” over crimes against humanity in Manipur’s hills and demands immediate statutory action.
The communiqué called for all cases of abduction, looting, killings, molestation and arson perpetrated by Kuki militants to be transferred to the NIA or investigated by a high-level central commission. It further insisted that the government must rehabilitate victims and provide indemnity for damages suffered in villages such as Choro, Wanglee, Namlee, Huimin Thana and Kherongram.
The statement further urged both the Manipur government and the Union Home Ministry to uphold their responsibility and accountability to the people, stressing that the silence and selective handling of cases undermine democratic principles and justice.