Kamjong Violence: Tangkhul Body Terms Kukis as Aliens, Demands Respect for "Owners of Land"

New Delhi, March 20, 2020:

Slamming Kukis over the recent violence that erupted in Manipur's Kamjong district over the burning down of jhum fields, the Tangkhul Katamnao Long Delhi, an influential body of of the Naga tribe, has termed the Kukis as "outsiders."

In a statement that the Tangkhul body released on March 19, the body stated that "peaceful co-existence is possible only if immigrants or the alien, however powerful, don't distort history and know the land and its owner where the Kuki brothers have come to stay." The Tangkhul body further appealed the Kukis to restrain from making "unwarranted statements". The Tangkhul body further asserted that such incidents are "avoidable" if historical facts are understood with "respect and sincerity." The Tangkhul body further stated that "conflict arises when immigrants or alien populations try to change the situation of the land by "force or deceit."

ALSO READ: COVID-19: Section 144 Imposed in East Sikkim District till April 15

The Tangkhul body stated that it empathizes with the people of Chassad and Sampui and the neighboring villages for the loss of property, disruption of normal life and "psychological trauma" that happened on March 15-16.

The body further slammed the Kuki organizations for projecting it as a Tangkhul against Kuki thing. "The continued use of the terms like ethnic cleansing and genocide by our Kuki brethren is to forget the uncountable innocent Naga lives they took, villages they raided and burnt, land they have grabbed and it deliberately aims to instigate communal tension and bringing back the wound and memories of the past. The Sampui village and Chassad village conflict to us is a case of inter village conflict and not a Tangkhul and Kuki conflict like how the Kuki organizations are projecting."

ALSO READ: NSCN-IM Blames Kuki Villagers for ‘Provoking’ Tangkhuls to Burn Down Kamjong Village

The Isak Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) has blamed the Kukis of Chassad village in Manipur’s Kamjong district for ‘provoking’ the Tangkhuls of Sampui village to burn down an entire village.

The NSCN-IM released a statement after several Kuki Students’ Organisations based in different parts of the country accused the former of a ‘pre-planned’ conspiracy to attack the Kukis of Chassad village.

“The burning down of Chassad village on 16th March, 2020 could have been avoided had the Kukis of Chassad village not taken law and order into their hands regarding the burning down of jhum cultivation fields blaming the Kamjong villagers. Had they exercised restraint and sanity, nothing could have provoke the Tangkhuls of Kamjong village,” readS the statement.

It may be mentioned here that a clash erupted between Chassad (Kuki) and Sampui villages after more than 100 houses belonging to the former village were burnt down by Tangkhul Nagas. More than ten vehicles were also charred to ashes. In the aftermath of the incident, Section 144 was imposed in Manipur following the clash in Kamjong and internet services were also suspended for three days.

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