Kuki Bodies Condemn Arson in Kamjong, Call Out Silence of Leadership Amid Ongoing Atrocities

A wave of condemnation has swept through Kuki-Zo civil society following the brazen daylight attacks on the villages of Gamphal and Haijang in Sahamphung Sub-Division, Kamjong District, on the morning of April 23.

The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) issued a scathing statement denouncing the arson and violence, which it says were carried out by miscreants from surrounding Tangkhul areas. The attack, CoTU argued, is part of a wider pattern of violence that has left the region deeply fractured.

In a strongly worded condemnation, CoTU decried “two years of unrelenting atrocities and religious persecution” against the Kuki-Zo tribal community—primarily by the dominant Meitei community. It warned that other communities must not exploit the crisis to push their own political agendas.

“It is deeply concerning that elements from neighboring districts are now echoing the Meitei-majoritarian ethno-centric narrative, targeting the Kuki-Zo community with violence and impunity,” the statement read.

CoTU also slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s perceived indifference to the ongoing turmoil in Manipur, contrasting his prompt reaction to a terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir with his silence on Manipur. “The Prime Minister aborted his Saudi visit to respond to an attack in Pahalgam, yet remains deaf to the cries of hundreds of grieving families in Manipur,” it stated.

Blaming Chief Minister N. Biren Singh’s administration for enabling the violence, CoTU alleged that more than 280 lives have been lost, over 300 churches and synagogues burned, and 300 Kuki-Zo localities destroyed. It accused the state government of orchestrating the looting of 6,000 weapons and over 600,000 rounds of ammunition from government armories.

Even under President’s Rule, CoTU noted, constitutional authorities failed to act. “With central oversight in place, the Governor still could not protect the villagers of Gamphal and Haijang, who were forced to flee as their homes were engulfed in flames.”

Reaffirming its long-standing demand, CoTU emphasized that a Separate Administration is the only constitutional safeguard for the Kuki-Zo people. “In the face of systemic negligence, targeted violence, and state-backed tyranny, our call for a separate administration is not just political—it is existential,” the statement concluded.

Meanwhile, a coalition of Kuki tribal organizations from the eastern region also issued a joint press communique, describing the incident as a calculated and cowardly act of terror against peaceful communities.

The Eastern Kuki Chiefs’ Association (EKCA), Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) Kamjong, Kuki Women Union (KWU) Kamjong, and South Eastern Kuki Youth Organisation (SEKYO) expressed unified outrage, highlighting that the attackers were armed with sophisticated weapons.

“On April 23, armed assailants stormed the peaceful villages of Gamphal and Haijang, setting homes ablaze and spreading terror. This was not just an attack on property—it was a gross violation of human rights and a direct strike at the heart of communal peace,” the communique stated.

The organizations demanded immediate and impartial investigation and swift prosecution of those responsible. “We urge the security agencies to act decisively and ensure no further attacks on Kuki villages in Kamjong District,” said Lalboi Haokip, President of KSO Kamjong.

Jangpao Haokip, Vice President of EKCA, added, “Those who remained silent spectators to this crime must now come forward and explain why two peaceful villages were reduced to ashes. We stand in unwavering solidarity with the victims.”