“Back off,” says Tangkhul Naga Long president, slamming a Meitei militia’s intrusion into Shirui peak during the Lily Festival. The incident has ignited fresh tensions in conflict-scarred Manipur.
BY PC Bureau
Prominent Naga organizations have slammed the Armabi Tenggol, a valley based armed militia, following an incident at the ongoing Shirui Lily Festival, where members of the Meitei group’s faction identifying itself as Cobra Team – Unit 58, raised flags and shouted communally charged slogans atop Shirui peak. The act has been described as a reckless political intrusion into a culturally sacred and neutral space, sparking renewed ethnic tensions in Manipur.
Sword Vashum, President of Tangkhul Naga Long, denounced the incident in the strongest terms, calling it an “utterly disgraceful and despicable attempt to tarnish and obfuscate the spirit and meaning of the Shirui Lily Festival for petty and dirty political gains.”
“This was 100% the wrong place and the wrong time,” Vashum said. “Do you even care to know that the Shirui Lily Festival is a celebration dedicated to the truth of the inexplicable wonders of God’s creations?” he said in a Facebook post.
READ: Arambai Tenggol’s Call from Shirui Hills Draw Sharp Rebuke from Naga Students’ Body
He continued, describing the spiritual symbolism of the rare endemic flower:
“That tiny, innocuous flora — the Shirui Lily — blossoming and blooming lusciously on a picturesque hilltop evokes so much aura and excitement. If even a flower can stir such reverence, surely, more is demanded of us as human beings to promote and enhance the honor and dignity of humanity.”
Appealing for moral reflection, Vashum emphasized the universal values at stake:
“Mutual trust and mutual respect are at the core of human common existence. Without them, we degrade ourselves to beastly existence. What we don’t want done to us by others, we shouldn’t do to others. Please be good to yourselves — and back off.”
READ: Arambai Tenggol Raises Flags on Shirui Hills, Triggers Outrage
Vashum also pushed back against any attempts to conflate the Naga identity with the valley communities, warning against historical revisionism:
“I am simply aghast at the brazen attempt to hyphenate us — the Nagas — with the valley. Your history runs into a span of over 2,000 years. Ours, in terms of written records, is barely 200.”
Sword Vashum (Pres TNL) condemns Arambai Tengol’s politicization of the Shirui Lily Festival, emphasizing its sacred purpose. He rejects attempts to link Nagas with Manipur’s valley, citing distinct histories, and advocates for peaceful neighborliness to avoid perpetual conflict. https://t.co/raugmbtJMa pic.twitter.com/SU2y2SBCYI
— Uncle Singh (@singsitalks) May 23, 2025
He explained the Naga association with Manipur emerged only in 1891, when the British incorporated the hill areas into Manipur’s administrative geography. Even then, the hills were administered separately by a British political agent, reporting directly to colonial authorities — a system that continued until India’s independence.
“The truth of history boils down to this: we Nagas have no common legacy with yours. We have no common heritage because we have no common history. Therefore, we should settle for good neighborliness. Anything less — or more — would only lead to perpetual heartburn.”
In a separate statement, the Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (TKS) — a leading Naga student body — also issued a strong condemnation, calling the act “a grave provocation” and warning against the politicization of sacred tribal spaces.
“The Shirui Lily Festival is a solemn celebration of our rare endemic flower, our land, and the enduring spirit of the Tangkhul Naga people,” the TKS stated. “It embodies peace, ecological consciousness, and cultural pride amidst a state long affected by ethnic unrest.”
The TKS highlighted the symbolic weight of the militia’s actions:
“This was a deliberate political gesture — an attempt to assert territorial and ideological dominance far beyond the confines of the Imphal Valley. It is nothing short of a disruption of peace and an affront to the neutral position maintained by the Nagas.”
Reaffirming their position, the student union declared:
“We will not tolerate any attempts to politicize our sacred spaces or challenge the historical and cultural ownership of our land.”
Both the Tangkhul Naga Long and TKS have called for immediate restraint and respect for the cultural and spiritual sanctity of Shirui Hills, urging all actors to uphold peace and mutual respect in the volatile region.
