Kuki must respect land owner : TKS
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Mungchan Zimik
UKHRUL, May 17: The Kuki community must stop spreading fabricated narratives and respect the ancestral land rights of the Naga community to restore peace in the Tangkhul Naga regions, said Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong president Ramreichan Keishing.
Briefing media at the Ukhrul Press Club at Wino Bazar, Ukhrul, Ramreichan said spreading lies and false propaganda to win public sympathy is not the right approach to pursue peace.
He condemned one Kuki Tony Singsit, president of Kuki students' Union Saijang Athibung, for spreading false narratives on the situation in Ukhrul district on YouTube and other social media platforms.
Dismantling the "false narratives", Ramreichan said it was the brutal assault on a Tangkhul Naga person by some Kuki men in Litan on February 7 which triggered the violent confrontation between Tangkhul Naga and Kuki community.
There have been many incidents of harassment and atrocities meted out to Tangkhul Nagas in the past, but the community chose to show maximum restraint in order to let peace prevail in the region, he said.
Ramreichan claimed Kukis attacked and attempted to murder the headman Sharkaphung village in 2020. In July 2025, a winger driver carrying passengers was physically assaulted at Mongkot Chepu Kuki village with no reason, he claimed.
After the recent February 7 assault on the Naga man, a joint meeting was held at Litan police station between the Kuki village chief and Tangkhul leaders. An undertaking was then signed admitting their (Kuki) faults, Ramreichan said.
It was agreed that the Kuki community will respect the rights of the land owner, Tangkhul. It was also agreed that the Kuki villagers would vacate the area in case of violation of the agreement, Ramreichan added.
While a meeting was going on in the presence of Deputy CM Losii Dikho, Tangkhul and Kuki chiefs including security officers at Litan police station the next day (February 8), some Kukis started firing using sophisticated weapons. This forced the meeting to be abandoned before any conclusive resolutions for peace were reached, Ramreichan said.
Subsequently, the Kukis then burned 23 Tangkhul houses in Litan and it led to a wider confrontation between the two communities, he said.
"So far, the Kukis have not tendered an apology for their wrong doing to the Tangkhul. How can we forgive them ? Forgiveness requires them admitting their faults first. Talks for peace will follow later," Ramreichan said.
He said the Kuki groups have a "habit of blaming Tangkhuls, the NSCN-IM and others."
He said the NSCN-IM is not a Tangkhul militant group but a well organised Naga organisation currently engaging in a political dialogue with the Government of India at the highest level for a permanent settlement to the Naga- issue for lasting peace in the North East region.
UKHRUL, May 17: The Kuki community must stop spreading fabricated narratives and respect the ancestral land rights of the Naga community to restore peace in the Tangkhul Naga regions, said Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong president Ramreichan Keishing.
Briefing media at the Ukhrul Press Club at Wino Bazar, Ukhrul, Ramreichan said spreading lies and false propaganda to win public sympathy is not the right approach to pursue peace.
He condemned one Kuki Tony Singsit, president of Kuki students' Union Saijang Athibung, for spreading false narratives on the situation in Ukhrul district on YouTube and other social media platforms.
Dismantling the "false narratives", Ramreichan said it was the brutal assault on a Tangkhul Naga person by some Kuki men in Litan on February 7 which triggered the violent confrontation between Tangkhul Naga and Kuki community.
There have been many incidents of harassment and atrocities meted out to Tangkhul Nagas in the past, but the community chose to show maximum restraint in order to let peace prevail in the region, he said.
Ramreichan claimed Kukis attacked and attempted to murder the headman Sharkaphung village in 2020. In July 2025, a winger driver carrying passengers was physically assaulted at Mongkot Chepu Kuki village with no reason, he claimed.
After the recent February 7 assault on the Naga man, a joint meeting was held at Litan police station between the Kuki village chief and Tangkhul leaders. An undertaking was then signed admitting their (Kuki) faults, Ramreichan said.
It was agreed that the Kuki community will respect the rights of the land owner, Tangkhul. It was also agreed that the Kuki villagers would vacate the area in case of violation of the agreement, Ramreichan added.
While a meeting was going on in the presence of Deputy CM Losii Dikho, Tangkhul and Kuki chiefs including security officers at Litan police station the next day (February 8), some Kukis started firing using sophisticated weapons. This forced the meeting to be abandoned before any conclusive resolutions for peace were reached, Ramreichan said.
Subsequently, the Kukis then burned 23 Tangkhul houses in Litan and it led to a wider confrontation between the two communities, he said.
"So far, the Kukis have not tendered an apology for their wrong doing to the Tangkhul. How can we forgive them ? Forgiveness requires them admitting their faults first. Talks for peace will follow later," Ramreichan said.
He said the Kuki groups have a "habit of blaming Tangkhuls, the NSCN-IM and others."
He said the NSCN-IM is not a Tangkhul militant group but a well organised Naga organisation currently engaging in a political dialogue with the Government of India at the highest level for a permanent settlement to the Naga- issue for lasting peace in the North East region.