Manipur: Kuki body rejects ‘foreign aggression’ claims, alleges communal targeting in Kamjong

The Kuki CSO Working Committee, Ukhrul, has strongly criticised what it described as a “misleading, inflammatory and dangerously communal” narrative surrounding the May 7 incidents in Manipur’s Kamjong district, accusing the Meitei Alliance of spreading unverified allegations against the Kuki community and aggravating ethnic tensions in the state.

In a statement issued on May 12 the Committee rejected allegations portraying the violence as an act of “foreign aggression” allegedly carried out by Myanmar-based Kuki militant groups. The organisation claimed that such assertions contradicted the position reportedly taken by Manipur Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam during his visit to the affected areas, stating that the term was not officially endorsed in government records.

Describing the allegations as “speculative propaganda without judicial basis,” the Committee said attempts to communalise and internationalise the security situation without credible evidence could further destabilise the fragile law and order situation in Manipur.

The Kuki CSO Working Committee also alleged that NSCN-IM and Eastern Flank sympathisers were engaged in spreading misinformation in Kamjong and Ukhrul districts to conceal attacks on Kuki villages and influence public perception regarding the conflict.

The organisation further criticised what it termed the “selective silence” of civil society groups and authorities over the reported burning of Lanchah village in Kamjong district, alleging that the muted response had reinforced perceptions of institutional bias and unequal treatment of violence affecting tribal communities.

Raising broader security concerns, the Committee called for an impartial investigation into the activities of armed underground groups operating along the Indo-Myanmar border. It specifically referred to allegations involving NSCN-linked armed elements, obstruction of security operations, and interference in counter-insurgency measures.

According to the Committee, any attempt to shield armed actors or hinder state security forces would undermine the rule of law and strengthen insurgent networks at the expense of civilian safety.

The organisation also objected to what it described as efforts to collectively portray Kuki civil society organisations as facilitators of transnational militancy. It termed such accusations “dangerous, divisive and politically motivated,” and warned that attributing blame to an entire community without independent verification could deepen mistrust and ethnic divisions in the state.

The Kuki CSO Working Committee urged the Government of India and the Manipur government to take immediate measures to curb communal misinformation, initiate transparent investigations into armed actors and propaganda networks operating in Kamjong and Ukhrul districts, and ensure protection of civilians irrespective of ethnicity.

The Committee also called for meaningful inter-community dialogue to restore trust and maintain peace in the region.