In a searing statement, KCBF accuses a senior Assam Rifles officer of ordering the unlawful killing of ten Kuki-Chin defense members, worsening ethnic tensions in the conflict-ridden Tamu region.
BY PC Bureau
In a strongly worded press release issued on May 21, 2025, the Kuki-Chin Brotherhood Forum (KCBF), International—a socio-cultural organization representing Kuki-Chin communities—condemned the killing of ten members of the People’s Defence Organisation (PDO) in Tamu District, located along the Indo-Myanmar border.
The statement was issued in response to comments by the National Unity Government (NUG) of Myanmar (Press Statement dated May 20, 2025) and the Indian Army’s Eastern Command, regarding a military operation conducted on May 14, during which ten alleged armed cadres were reportedly killed after allegedly engaging Indian forces.
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According to the KCBF, the individuals killed were not insurgents but were wrongly identified as such by a unit of the Assam Rifles under the command of a Meitei officer. The forum alleges the ten men, believed to be Kuki-Chin PDO members, were captured, tortured, and killed in a degrading manner—an act it says has severely damaged trust between the local communities, the Indian Army, and the NUG.
Kuki Chin brotherhood forum (KCBF) International
Press releaseInhumane act of @AssamRifles4 command SSB #SharmaMeitei CO 1st Batallion killing innocent people in the border of #Burma and #Indian and blames in media they are residing in #ChandelDistrict is a… pic.twitter.com/35CwoljEfA
— Mighty Warrior Kuki (@Kamginthan40473) May 22, 2025
The officer implicated in the incident was identified by the KCBF as SSB Sharma Meitei, Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion, Assam Rifles, stationed in Sehlon (Khengjoi Block, Chandel District). The forum accuses him of long-standing anti-Kuki actions dating back to the Manipur conflict of 2023, and lists the following alleged actions:
- Facilitating safe passage for Meitei militants from Myanmar into Manipur.
- Sheltering them in army camps and transporting them via Indian military helicopters.
- Coordinating joint raids with the Manipur State Police in Kuki-dominated areas using armored vehicles.
- Advancing border fencing projects without local consultation.
- Enabling cross-border movement of Meitei militants, some of whom were later killed in Myanmar.
- Arbitrarily arresting Kuki youths—including Seiminthang Haokip—to intimidate villagers.
- Imposing mobility restrictions on Kuki-Chin villagers.
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Call for Justice
The KCBF has urged the Indian Army to court-martial the officer responsible, warning that such actions not only erode the military’s credibility but also threaten fragile inter-ethnic relations.
“This crooked Meitei Indian Army officer has tarnished the name of the Assam Rifles and oppressed Kuki villagers. The ten PDOs, killed in the most humiliating manner, must receive justice,” the KCBF said in its statement.
NUG Calls It Cold-Blooded Murder
On May 20, the National Unity Government (NUG) of Myanmar accused Assam Rifles of the unlawful killing of the ten PDO members, intensifying tensions in an already volatile border region. The NUG claims the incident, which occurred in Tamu District, Sagaing Region, is symptomatic of the broader instability plaguing the Indo-Myanmar frontier.
According to NUG officials, the ten PDO members stationed in Kama Gyi Village went missing on May 14. On May 16, Assam Rifles personnel from Battalion-1, based in Chandel District, Manipur, reportedly handed over the bodies of the deceased. The NUG contends that the men were not killed in an exchange of fire, as reported in some Indian media outlets, but were instead captured, tortured, and summarily executed—despite prior notifications to Indian authorities about their presence.
Further, the NUG alleges that during the handover of the bodies, Myanmar officials were coerced into signing a document with controversial stipulations. These included claims that the PDO members had opened fire after crossing into Indian territory and an implicit endorsement of India’s ongoing border fencing initiatives. The bodies were released only after the document was signed.
In response, the NUG has established a Task Force for India to verify the identities of the deceased, secure their remains, and conduct a thorough investigation. The task force has initiated engagement with Indian counterparts to uncover the facts surrounding the killings.
