Naga forum backs indefinite bandh over territorial disputes in Manipur

The Makhan-Kanglatongbi Naga Forum has thrown its weight behind an ongoing indefinite bandh called by the Foothills Naga Coordinating Committee, escalating tensions over what indigenous groups describe as encroachment into ancestral Naga territories.

The forum's endorsement centres on three contentious issues that have sparked widespread concern among Naga communities in Manipur's Kangpokpi district. At the heart of the dispute lies the proposed "Tiger Road" project, which the forum views as a disguised attempt to alter territorial identity in the region.

"Any effort to manipulate or expand territorial claims under the pretext of peace building will be firmly resisted," the forum stated in its press release issued Sunday.

The organisation has raised serious objections to what it calls the illegal establishment of Suspension of Operation (SoO) camps by Kuki militants within traditional Naga areas. These camps, originally designed as part of peace agreements with various insurgent groups, have become flashpoints in the ongoing ethnic tensions that have plagued Manipur for over a year.

Adding to their concerns is the "rampant poppy cultivation" across indigenous lands, which the forum argues threatens the socio-environmental fabric of their ancestral territories. The illegal drug cultivation has become a significant issue across northeastern states, with various communities blaming each other for the proliferation of narcotics production.

The forum has directed urgent appeals to the Government of India, demanding the immediate dismantling of all illegal SoO camps and militant training centres on Naga ancestral lands. They have also called for an end to what they describe as encroachments and unauthorised renaming of roads or landmarks within their territories without proper indigenous consultation.

Particularly sensitive is the proposed establishment of new SoO camps along the Haflong-Imphal National Highway, which the forum characterises as "strategic provocations that could incite future conflict."