The Liangmai Naga Council has opposed the NSCN-IM’s forced welfare fund collections, appealing to the Tamenglong Autonomous District Council for protection and legal intervention.
BY PC Bureau
July 24, 2025 – In a bold and rare move, the Liangmai Naga Council, Tamenglong Zone (LNCM-TZ) has accused the NSCN-IM of “official extortion” and asked the Autonomous District Council (ADC), Tamenglong to step in and protect the community.
In a letter submitted on July 23, the Council urged the ADC’s Chief Executive Officer to stop forced collections of money in the name of “tax” and “welfare funds” by the NSCN-IM, a powerful Naga insurgent group. The Council asked that Liangmai people be exempted from these demands, and also called for an end to pressure from underground groups to sign service cards or submit official documents under duress.
The letter, signed by General Secretary Lovingson Motia, said that the Liangmai tribe does not owe any tax to the NSCN-IM’s self-declared “Government of the People’s Republic of Nagalim (GPRN),” and that the group’s treatment of Liangmai people has been unfair and humiliating.
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The LNCM-TZ’s appeal is supported by a resolution titled “Non-Cooperation to NSCN/GPRN”, passed by the Liangmai General Assembly on March 25, 2025. The resolution reflects growing dissatisfaction within the Liangmai community, one of the major Naga tribes in Tamenglong, a tribal-dominated district in western Manipur.
Although the NSCN-IM operates independently of state institutions and collects money directly from civilians, the Liangmai Council chose to send their appeal to the ADC, a government body formed under the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Councils Act, 1971. The ADC does not collect NSCN-IM funds, but it serves as a legal and administrative bridge between tribal communities and the government. By going through the ADC, the Liangmai aim to seek official protection and record their grievances without directly confronting the insurgents.
History of Tensions
Tensions between the NSCN-IM and the Liangmai tribe have been simmering for some time. In January 2025, NSCN-IM members were accused of sexually harassing six Liangmai women in Maremei village, reportedly during a land dispute. In March, the group allegedly evicted Liangmai villagers and damaged their homes, adding to community anger.
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Though the NSCN-IM has been in peace talks with the Indian government since 1997, it continues to impose taxes on civilians, which critics say amounts to extortion. Most Naga groups avoid confronting the NSCN-IM publicly, fearing retaliation.
This is one of the first times a tribal body has openly called out the NSCN-IM in writing. The move is being seen as a possible turning point in Manipur’s hill politics. But backlash is also feared. The memory of Athuan Abonmai, a Zeliangrong leader killed in 2021 after criticizing the NSCN-IM, still haunts the region.
For now, all eyes are on the ADC Tamenglong’s response, which could set the tone for how other tribal communities deal with similar pressure.
