Naga leaders have condemned the recent attack on a Liangmai Naga woman, issuing an ultimatum for accountability and warning of potential unrest if action is delayed.
BY PC Bureau
Ethnic tensions in Manipur escalated after an alleged assault on a Naga woman at K Lungwiram, a Liangmai Naga village near the Leimakhong army cantonment in Kangpokpi district. The incident reportedly took place on Tuesday when the woman was overseeing land leveling work using an excavator.
Eyewitness accounts allege that a group of approximately 20 individuals from the Kuki community disrupted the activity, assaulting the woman, throwing her to the ground, and destroying her phone. Her brother, who was present at the site, supported her claims, stating that the group verbally abused and threatened them.
BREAKING NEWS
A Liangmei Naga woman was allegedly manhandled and beaten by a group of 10 Kuki immigrant settler while she was constructing a house on her village territory, approved by the village authority. During the assault, her phone was also destroyed.
In Manipuri, we have… pic.twitter.com/a695wgjeys
— Khuraijam Athouba (@Paari_Athouba) January 7, 2025
A video circulating on social media appears to show the alleged assailants issuing threats and intimidating villagers, warning of further harm and threatening to destroy the excavator.
Look at this vid posted by @LIANGMAIPOST.
Here a Liangmai individual was levelling her land for construction of her house.A grp of chin kuki thugs came & threatened her to stop it.
It happened today at a village called Konsakhul,Manipur.@manipur_policepic.twitter.com/Rp7T7IKkIf— JJohnnymeitei (@JohnnyMeetei) January 7, 2025
Calls for Intervention and Justice
The victim and her community have appealed to Naga civil organizations and authorities to intervene and ensure justice. The incident adds to a growing history of conflict between the Liangmai Naga and Kuki-Zo communities, with previous reports of violence and intimidation in the region.
Strong condemnation on molestation of a Naga Woman on her own land is not merely an attack on an individual but a direct challenge to the identity and dignity of Naga people as a whole. #liangmaipost #naga #liangmai #kuki #manipur #lungwiram #konsakhul pic.twitter.com/vu7oUzPPhB
— 𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐌𝐀𝐈 𝐏⭕𝐒𝐓 (@LIANGMAIPOST) January 7, 2025
Past Incidents of Violence
Naga organizations, including the Liangmai Naga Katimai Ruangdi (LNKR-M), the Liangmai Pui Naga Ruangdi (LPNR), and the Liangmai Naga Ruangdi (LNR), have strongly condemned the attack. They highlighted prior incidents, such as the burning of a Liangmai Naga home in June 2023 and assaults on community members, as part of ongoing tensions.
Condemnation and Ultimatum
The Foothill Naga Joint Action Committee (FNJAC) condemned the assault, calling it a calculated attack on the dignity and identity of the Naga people. The committee described the act as a breach of peaceful coexistence and issued a 48-hour ultimatum, demanding a formal apology from Kuki leadership and immediate action against the perpetrators.
“If no action is taken, responsibility for any escalation will rest with the Kuki leadership,” the committee stated.
Similar Incidents Highlight Fragile Peace
In a related incident on December 23, members of Naga tribes were reportedly assaulted by Kuki volunteers in Gamgiphai. The Senapati District Students’ Association (SDSA) claimed that its leaders were subjected to physical aggression and verbal abuse despite identifying themselves as SDSA executives. The official vehicle of the association was also vandalized.
The SDSA criticized the Kuki community for allegedly failing to uphold agreements promoting mutual respect and coexistence, such as the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Naga People’s Organization (NPO) and the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU).
Other Naga organizations, including the Mao Students’ Union and the Poumai Naga Tsiidoumai Me (PNTM), also condemned the incident, emphasizing the need for authorities to address the growing unrest.
Manipur, already grappling with over 19 months of ethnic violence, remains on edge as communities call for swift action to restore peace.
