New Delhi: Two Kuki women were killed by “unidentified gunmen” in Manipur’s Tamenglong district Tuesday, according to police. This came two days after four Kuki civilians were killed in Tamenglong and Noney districts, allegedly by Naga militants.
Police identified the victims as Phalneichong alias Chonga Sitlhou (78) and Kimjalhing alias Kimneo Singson (28). Sitlhou was collecting firewood when the assailants opened fire on her around 3 pm. Singson was also killed at the same spot while returning home to help her parents with farming after completing her nursing course.
Hours later, around 10.30 pm, armed militants attacked Chawangkining Naga village in Kangpokpi district, burning at least two houses and exchanging fire with security forces.
Earlier, on 27 August, alleged Kuki armed groups had killed four Naga civilians in the Kuki-majority Kangpokpi district.
Condemning Tuesday’s attack, the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) said the repeated killings of Kuki-Zo civilians had assumed an “unacceptable and alarming pattern” and could no longer be dismissed as isolated incidents.
“The KZC views these killings, reportedly involving the [National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah)] NSCN-IM and the [Zeliangrong United Front (Kamson)] ZUF-K, as part of an escalating pattern of attacks against Kuki-Zo civilians in Manipur. The continued targeting of civilians raises serious concerns about attempts to terrorise and drive Kuki-Zo communities from their settlements,” the council said in a statement.
It also demanded that the state and central governments protect vulnerable civilians, bring the perpetrators to justice and take firm, lawful action against armed groups attacking civilians.
As a mark of protest, the KZC notified all Kuki-Zo civil society organisations that no Kuki-Zo persons killed by Naga armed groups in Manipur would be buried until further notice. It said the mortal remains of every such victim would be preserved in the nearest available cold-storage facility until further directions were issued.
(Edited by Chingkheinganbi Mayengbam)
India must immediately conduct NRC updation in Manipur and identify all illegal immigrants.
That would go a long way in solving this ‘conflict’.