The Working Committee of the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) has condemned the violent attack on Naga Village Guards (NVG) at Ringui Horei Hill on Tuesday by suspected Kuki militants, who were allegedly operating in corroboration with Kuki Suspension of Operation (SoO) cadres, leaving four NVG members grievously injured.
According to a press statement released by the TNL Working Committee, the NVGs were conducting routine patrol duties within the territorial jurisdiction of Ringui Naga village when they were fired upon. The attackers had reportedly established bunkers approximately 5-6 kilometers from the village settlement.
Escalating Violence
According to the Working Committee, Tuesday’s incident marks the second assault on NVGs within Tangkhul Naga territory in less than a week. The previous ambush, occurring between Sirarakhong and Sinakeithei, resulted in the death of Horshokmi Jamang and left four others severely injured. Additionally, the TNL noted that on April 18, two civilians were killed in an ambush near TM Kasom along National Highway 202 (Imphal-Ukhrul route).
The TNL stated that these attacks are part of an unprovoked pattern of aggression against Tangkhul Naga villages since the onset of the current conflict in February.
Accusations of Hypocrisy
The TNL took serious note of the Working Committee of Kuki CSOs (WCKCSO), specifically a press release issued by the latter on April 28, which claimed that Kuki organizations have “consistently stood for peaceful coexistence and mutual respect.”
“If, as the WCKCSO states, they stand for peaceful coexistence, they should convene with their armed groups and ask them to bring their aggression to a halt,” the TNL statement said. The Working Committee accused the Kuki CSOs of “fabricating a narrative” that portrays the Tangkhul Nagas as the aggressors, labeling these claims as “blatant lies” intended to justify further violence.
Territorial Disputes, High-Handedness
Central to the tension is the disputed status of Ringui Horei Hill. While the WCKCSO recently declared that the “defense of our land is non-negotiable,” the TNL dismissed the same as an attempt to assert ownership over land that rightfully belongs to the Naga community.
“The genesis of the ongoing violence is rooted in the same audacity shown by the Kukis in claiming the land of the Nagas as theirs, and their high-handedness and lack of respect towards the real owners of the land,” the TNL asserted.
The TNL Working Committee advised the WCKCSO to refrain from inflammatory rhetoric if they truly desire peace. The Committee reaffirmed its commitment to defending its ancestral territory, emphasizing that they would not resort to the “fabrication of lies and narratives” to gain support.
