Kuki organisations condemn alleged arson of Phaimol village, demand immediate Central intervention

The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), Sadar Hills, and the Kuki CSO Working Committee, Kamjong District, have strongly condemned the alleged burning of Phaimol Kuki village in Manipur’s Kamjong district and sought immediate intervention by the Centre and security agencies.

In separate statements issued following the incident, both organisations alleged that cadres of the NSCN-IM, aided by the Myanmar-based Shanni Nationalist Army (SNA), were responsible for the attack. The groups described the incident as part of an escalating pattern of violence and termed it a coordinated assault intended to intimidate and displace Kuki civilians from the area.

According to CoTU, armed Tangkhul militants allegedly affiliated with the NSCN-IM and supported by the Myanmar-based armed group launched an attack on Kuki-Zo habitations in Kamjong district on Wednesday morning, culminating in the alleged arson of Phaimol village.

The organisation further alleged that existing communal tensions in the hill districts were being deliberately intensified by what it described as extremist elements seeking to mobilise ethnic sentiments against the Kuki-Zo community. It also claimed that the alleged involvement of a Myanmar-based outfit added a cross-border security dimension to the situation and posed wider concerns for regional stability.

CoTU stated that the incident was neither spontaneous nor isolated and alleged that it formed part of a broader effort to provoke ethnic confrontation and deepen divisions in the region.

Seeking urgent action, the committee appealed to the Government of India to initiate an immediate crackdown on the NSCN-IM and other armed groups allegedly involved, asserting that such activities posed a serious challenge to peace and security across the North East.

Echoing similar concerns, the Kuki CSO Working Committee, Kamjong District, issued a strong condemnation of the alleged burning of Phaimol village and accused armed NSCN militants of carrying out the attack.

The committee referred to an earlier alleged attack on Kultuh village on June 11 and claimed that the incident reflected a recurring pattern of targeted violence against Kuki villages in Kamjong district.

It alleged that repeated incidents of arson, intimidation and violence had generated fear, displacement and insecurity among civilians while affecting public order and the rule of law.

The Kuki CSO Working Committee urged the Assam Rifles and other security agencies to conduct immediate operations in the Chatric area, which it alleged had served as the base from where the attacks were planned and executed.

The committee also called for those responsible to be identified, arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law. It warned that continued violence could deepen ethnic tensions and place more civilian lives at risk.

Calling for urgent intervention, the organisation appealed to both the Central and Manipur governments to restore law and order, ensure protection of affected villages and deliver justice to those impacted. It maintained that durable peace in the region would depend on accountability and effective enforcement of the law.

There was no immediate official response available at the time of filing this report regarding the allegations made by the two organisations