Kuki Group Demands Probe Into Deaths Amid Naga Territorial Dispute

Imphal: The Village Volunteer Eastern Zone (VVEZ) is challenging claims made by NSCN-IM official Leisan Asa regarding the deaths of four men. VVEZ leaders rejected the suggestion that these men were innocent civilians from Pilong village. They labeled them instead as drug transporters linked to the Phungtha Brigade of the NSCN-IM. The group claims to hold documentation on these connections and demands an independent probe.

Tensions remain high over land rights. VVEZ leaders insist they hold no grudge against Naga political goals, provided those goals do not seize Kuki property. The group demands the return of ancestral villages abandoned during the 1990s Kuki-Tangkhul conflict. "The Kuki people have no objection to the political aspirations of the Naga people. However, no political movement or settlement can legitimately extend to the encroachment upon or appropriation of Kuki ancestral lands," the VVEZ stated.

VVEZ leaders want a Union Territory with its own legislature. They clarified that this goal is theirs alone and not influenced by any other group. The organization views this as a democratic move. "Attempts to mischaracterise or obstruct this political demand will not alter our position. The Kuki people will continue to pursue their legitimate political aspirations through lawful and democratic means," the VVEZ added. They urge all stakeholders to handle these conflicting territorial claims through open, transparent, and historical investigation.