Imphal: The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) on Tuesday demanded an immediate crackdown on NSCN-IM and ZUF (Kamson) following an explosive attack on Thingkhongjang Kuki village in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district that left two civilians critically injured on Sunday.
CoTU urged the authorities to firmly curb the operational capabilities of these groups to prevent further escalation of violence and ensure the protection of civilian lives.
The Kuki tribal body declared the operational reach of the Tangkhul-led NSCN-IM as the single largest liability to peace and stability in the Northeast.
Asserting that the armed group’s unchecked activities are severely impeding law enforcement, CoTU, in a statement, demanded swift and decisive action from both the Government of India and the Manipur government to curb its influence.
The appeal comes in the wake of an armed assault on Thingkhongjang village in Kangpokpi district.
According to CoTU, militants hurled explosives at a local church while worship services were underway. The blast caused substantial damage to the church property and traumatized the congregation.
A minor girl and an adult woman sustained severe injuries from the explosive shrapnel and were promptly admitted to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) Hospital in Imphal for critical medical treatment.
CoTU claimed that NSCN-IM’s unrestricted operational capability across the northeastern states has emerged as a major bottleneck to the restoration of normalcy. The tribal body specifically highlighted the activities of NSCN-IM and the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF-Kamson), alleging that both armed groups have been destabilizing the region, particularly Kuki-Zo-inhabited areas in the hill districts.
Emphasizing that the Kuki-Zo community has cooperated with state and central security forces, CoTU maintained that restoring lasting peace and public confidence in the hills remains impossible as long as these armed factions continue to operate freely.