Naga civil bodies urge PM Modi to act against alleged cross-border militant attacks and protect ancestral territories in Manipur
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DIMAPUR — Three major Naga civil society organisations in Manipur have jointly appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for immediate intervention over what they described as a “proxy war” being waged against Nagas by Kuki militant groups operating under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement and the Myanmar-based Kuki National Army-Burma (KNA-B).
In a joint memorandum, the United Naga Council (UNC), Naga Women’s Union (NWU) and All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM) accused the government of India of failing to protect Naga ancestral areas and alleged that armed Kuki groups were carrying out “invasion, demographic aggression and ethnic cleansing” in Naga-inhabited regions of Manipur.
The organisations sought urgent intervention to uphold the Indo-Naga Framework Agreement signed on August 3, 2015, alleging that continued “appeasement” of Kuki armed groups violated the spirit of the agreement.
“The Framework Agreement was a covenant of hope,” the memorandum stated, adding that while the agreement recognised the “unique history and position of the Nagas”, Nagas were now facing sustained attacks from armed groups allegedly operating under the cover of the SoO arrangement.
The organisations alleged that SoO cadres and KNA-B militants had engaged in targeted killings, extortion, arson attacks, intimidation and highway blockades in Naga areas. They claimed that the SoO agreement had effectively become “a licence for territorial expansion”.
According to the memorandum, several Naga villages in Liangmai and Inpui areas, as well as villages in Ukhrul, Kamjong and Kangpokpi districts, have come under repeated attacks in recent months.
It specifically referred to attacks on villages such as Sinakeithel, Litan, S Laho, Sakarphung, Thoyee and Ringui, alleging that these areas had been subjected to firing, intimidation and siege by armed Kuki militants since March this year.
The organisations further alleged that armed cadres had forcibly encroached upon village lands and marked territories with inscriptions claiming them as “Kukiland”.
Referring to the violence that followed the ethnic conflict between Meiteis and Kukis in Manipur from May 2023 onwards, the memorandum claimed that Naga villages had provided shelter and humanitarian support to displaced Kukis and refugees fleeing violence in Myanmar.
It alleged, however, that some of those later became associated with armed groups involved in attacks on Naga villages.
The memorandum also highlighted the attacks that reportedly took place on May 7 this year in Z Choro, Namlee-Wanglee and Kaka villages near the Indo-Myanmar border. The signatories alleged that around 100 heavily armed KNA-B militants crossed into Indian territory from Myanmar and razed the villages.
Calling the incident a “foreign armed incursion”, the organisations argued that the attacks posed a direct threat not only to Nagas but also to India’s frontier security. They accused central security forces of failing to prevent the attacks despite their presence in nearby areas.
According to them, assaults on civilian settlements took place close to Assam Rifles deployment locations. The organisations claimed that the attacks involved the use of drones, rocket launchers and breach-loading 40 mm guns, citing statements by Tangkhul civil society organisations, including the Tangkhul Naga Long and Tangkhul Aze Katamnao Long.
According to the memorandum, the use of such weapons demonstrated the involvement of organised armed groups with foreign logistical support rather than local “volunteer” groups. It further alleged that Myanmar-based armed elements, including the Shanni Nationalities Army, had extended operational support during the attacks.
Terming the attacks an “act of invasion”, the signatories argued that the Centre was constitutionally obligated under Article 355 to protect states against external aggression. The organisations demanded immediate military operations to flush out KNA-B, People’s Defence Force and SoO cadres allegedly operating in Naga areas in violation of ceasefire ground rules.
They also called on the government of India to issue an “absolute guarantee” that no form of separate administration, territorial council or autonomy arrangement for Kuki groups would affect Naga ancestral lands.
The memorandum additionally sought restoration of access along disrupted national highways, alleging that certain highway stretches remained inaccessible due to the presence of armed militants and illegal checkpoints. Seeking accountability, the organisations demanded a time-bound judicial inquiry into the May 7 attacks and the alleged security and intelligence failures linked to the violence.
The memorandum also reiterated the demand for an “honourable and inclusive” Indo-Naga political settlement based on the Framework Agreement. The signatories maintained that only a just and inclusive political settlement could ensure lasting peace in the region and secure India’s eastern frontier.