Imphal: The Kuki-Zo Council issued a sharp clarification Friday regarding its chairman's recent statement on the deaths of six Naga civilians. They insist the apology from Chairman Henlienthang Thanglet does not mean the Kuki-Zo community took part in the killings. It was just an act of sympathy for grieving families.
Thanglet previously apologized during a June 25 press conference in Churachandpur. He called the deaths a "grave mistake" and condemned the violence. The bodies of the six victims were found near a Kuki-Zo village on June 10. They had been abducted nearly a month earlier from Leilon Vaiphei village in Kangpokpi district. One day prior to the discovery, 14 Kuki hostages were released in Senapati district.
The council claims no community or political body authorized the murders. They demand a fair investigation to find the actual killers. Officials have yet to identify the culprits. The group also pushed for a wider probe into the ethnic conflict, noting the destruction of villages and attacks on religious leaders. They warned that peace fails without justice for all sides.
Reactions remain divided. The All Naga Students' Association, Manipur, dismissed the apology entirely. Meanwhile, the Zomi Students' Federation General Headquarters distanced itself from the KZC. They claim the council does not speak for the Zomi people.
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