Fate of hostages : Flip of the coin ? On and off stand
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To many, particularly to the family members concerned, June 1, 2026 will surely be remembered as the day of ‘up’ and ‘down’. The day began with talks doing the round that the 14 Kuki people kept hostage since June 13 would be released with the United Naga Council stepping in later in the day to give a sort of an ‘official’ stamp in announcing that the hostages would be released. This set of a chain reaction, with the Joint Tribe Council, Manipur quickly making their stand clear and announcing a total shutdown in all Zeliangrong inhabited areas until the six Naga men held hostage since May 13 by the Kukis are also released. The Khanuithot Khon (Voice of the Naga Youth) followed suit, making their disillusionment clear with the decision to release the 14 Kuki hostages while the whereabouts of the six Naga men still remain unclear and clearly the pressure was on. Video clips of women gathering and readying to voice their opposition to the ‘release’ decision went viral on the social media and it was under the immense pressure mounted from different directions that the UNC ultimately issued a statement later in the evening that the 14 Kuki men would not be released. On the other hand yet another video clip of former Congress candidate in the 2024 Lok Sabha election Lamtinthang Haokip readying to receive the hostages who would be ‘released soon’ also went viral on the social media. And even as this commentary is being jotted down, things seem to be back at the status quo. Six Naga men and 14 Kuki men still missing. The similarity however ends here. While the Naga organisations, including the UNC have now come out in the open to state that the 14 Kuki men are still in captivity, there is nothing to show that the 6 Naga men are still alive. The Kuki Inpi, Manipur had earlier claimed that all the held Naga people have been released and they have no idea of where the 6 Naga men are. This is something which has found no takers, especially following the inputs given by the Naga women who were also initially taken hostage and later released. Back to square one. No development on the hostage front and the Government continues to stick to the line that a search has been mounted to trace the hostages. The only thing that has clearly emerged is that while the Kuki hostages are still alive and kicking somewhere, it is not clear whether the 6 Naga men are still alive or not. And if the last three years is any indication, it is not clear whether their mortal remains would even be recovered, that is if they have been done to death. This is what makes the hostage situation different between the two sides.
It is more than evident that the Government has no idea on how to deal with the unfolding situation. Today it is no longer a question of the Government forces rescuing the abducted persons of either side, but more a question of when those holding them captives will come to their senses to release them. And all of them, repeat the 6 Naga men and the 14 Kuki people are innocents, who had nothing to do with the killings of the Thadou Church leaders on May 13 but it should not be forgotten that the crisis was triggered by the very act of abducting the Naga people at Leilon Vaiphei. As news of the assassination of the Thadou Church leaders spread like wildfire, the 18 Naga people were waylaid and taken captive at Leilon Vaiphei village, first by womenfolk and the villagers and then handed over to the Kuki militants. This is, if one goes by what the released Naga women have had to say. The 14 Kuki people were then rounded up from Senapati side as a retaliatory step. Who was the aggressor should be clear from what the freed Naga women have had to say. As stated earlier, ideally the security personnel, pressed into duty to trace the missing persons, should have first combed Leilon Vaiphei village and picked up the village chief and others who were there at the spot of the incident. Not such a tall task to perform, if the right approach had been applied. This is where one is tempted to ask whether the security personnel are really intent on tracing them. Questions may also be asked on whether such a ‘lax’ approach has been adopted because there are more than enough indications that the 6 Naga hostages have been done to death. As for the 14 Kuki hostages, it is more than clear that they are still alive.
It is more than evident that the Government has no idea on how to deal with the unfolding situation. Today it is no longer a question of the Government forces rescuing the abducted persons of either side, but more a question of when those holding them captives will come to their senses to release them. And all of them, repeat the 6 Naga men and the 14 Kuki people are innocents, who had nothing to do with the killings of the Thadou Church leaders on May 13 but it should not be forgotten that the crisis was triggered by the very act of abducting the Naga people at Leilon Vaiphei. As news of the assassination of the Thadou Church leaders spread like wildfire, the 18 Naga people were waylaid and taken captive at Leilon Vaiphei village, first by womenfolk and the villagers and then handed over to the Kuki militants. This is, if one goes by what the released Naga women have had to say. The 14 Kuki people were then rounded up from Senapati side as a retaliatory step. Who was the aggressor should be clear from what the freed Naga women have had to say. As stated earlier, ideally the security personnel, pressed into duty to trace the missing persons, should have first combed Leilon Vaiphei village and picked up the village chief and others who were there at the spot of the incident. Not such a tall task to perform, if the right approach had been applied. This is where one is tempted to ask whether the security personnel are really intent on tracing them. Questions may also be asked on whether such a ‘lax’ approach has been adopted because there are more than enough indications that the 6 Naga hostages have been done to death. As for the 14 Kuki hostages, it is more than clear that they are still alive.