In an editorial, NSCN-IM’s mouthpiece Nagalim Voice accused the Government of India of facilitating Kuki refugee settlements in Naga areas and using Kuki groups as proxies against the Naga movement.
BY PC Bureau
June 8, 2026: While the Kuki community has suffered heavy casualties in Manipur’s ethnic conflict—losing more than 200 people in clashes with Meiteis since 2023 and dozens more in recent attacks blamed on Naga militants—the NSCN (I-M) has alleged that the Government of India is using Kuki groups as proxies in a broader campaign against Naga political aspirations.
In an editorial in the NSCN-IM’s official publication Nagalim Voice titled “India – Outsourcing Violence”, the publication alleged that New Delhi was “utilizing Kuki groups as proxies to wage a shadow war against the Naga national resistance movement” and accused the Centre of pursuing policies detrimental to Naga political and territorial interests.
The editorial further claimed that demographic changes in parts of Manipur were being encouraged by the Indian state. “This demographic engineering has been facilitated by the Government of India, effectively providing a ‘blessing’ to landless Kuki refugees at the expense of Naga’s indigenous rights,” the publication stated.
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According to the editorial, the settlement of Kuki refugees from Myanmar in Naga-inhabited areas has heightened concerns among Nagas over land, identity and political representation. The publication asserted that the Government of India “has no legal or moral right to cede Naga ancestral land to refugees.”
Nagalim Voice also targeted the Centre’s handling of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) arrangements with Kuki armed groups, alleging that New Delhi was indirectly employing such groups to advance its strategic objectives in the region. “Outsourcing ‘state terrorism’ to the SoO groups undermines long-term peace and erodes India’s international credibility,” the editorial claimed.
The publication argued that the unresolved Indo-Naga political issue remained at the heart of instability in the region and warned that policies perceived as altering the demographic and territorial realities of Naga areas would further complicate efforts to achieve a lasting political settlement.
The Centre has consistently maintained that its policies in the Northeast are aimed at ensuring peace, security and development for all communities while addressing humanitarian concerns arising from the influx of refugees from Myanmar.
The editorial comes amid continuing tensions between sections of the Naga and Kuki communities over land, political representation and the impact of refugee settlements in parts of Manipur.a
