ENPUK and NCD condemn Kiphire violence involving Yimkhiung and Tikhir communities, urging peace and reconciliation.
DIMAPUR — The Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Union Kohima (ENPUK) and the Naga Council Dimapur (NCD) have condemned the recent violence involving the Yimkhiung and Tikhir communities in Kiphire, which resulted in the death of one person and the burning of several houses, and appealed for peace, restraint and reconciliation.
In separate statements, the two organisations described the incident as deeply unfortunate and warned that continued violence could undermine the long-standing aspirations for peace, unity and development among the Naga people.
ENPUK termed the incident unacceptable in a civilised society and appealed to all concerned individuals, groups and village communities to exercise maximum restraint, maintain peace and refrain from retaliation to prevent further escalation.
The union urged all concerned to uphold the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) resolution declaring Eastern Nagaland a ‘Peace Zone’ on December 18, 2019.
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Under the resolution, ENPO had pledged that there would be no bloodshed, arson, threats or intimidation against citizens within or outside its jurisdiction.
Reaffirming its commitment to peace, ENPUK said differences and misunderstandings should be resolved through peaceful dialogue and customary law.
It stressed that disputes should be addressed among the parties concerned rather than allowed to escalate into wider conflicts.
The union cautioned that continued violence could undermine the collective pursuit of justice and development through the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA).
It also conveyed condolences to the bereaved family and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured and the well-being of displaced families.
Meanwhile, NCD expressed anguish over the clash, stating that such incidents could hamper peace and development in Eastern Nagaland at a time when the united efforts of ENPO had resulted in the achievement of the FNTA.
The council reaffirmed its commitment to the longstanding Naga traditions of brotherhood and unity among its 20 affiliated Naga tribes, describing the bitterness and misunderstandings between the two communities as extremely unfortunate.
Emphasising their shared Christian faith, NCD urged both communities to uphold forgiveness, human dignity and ethical principles.
It appealed to their leaders and members to move beyond past grievances, reconcile their differences at the earliest and restore cordial relations in the interest of future generations.
Both organisations called for peaceful resolution of the dispute, stressing that dialogue, restraint and mutual understanding were essential to preventing further violence and safeguarding unity among the Naga people.