Photo Courtesy: nenow
Imphal: The United Naga Council is calling on the United Nations to halt the transfer of ancestral land to Myanmar. The group petitioned the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues to stop the current border fencing project. They claim the Ministry of External Affairs is bypassing tribal consultation by using disputed pillar designations at Choro Khunou, Molcham, and Moreh.
The $3.22 billion fencing project remains a major point of contention. The council wants an immediate freeze on re-demarcation at Choro Khunou until they receive Free, Prior, and Informed Consent. They demand the Indian government respect the August 3, 2015, Indo-Naga Framework Agreement.
Violence is spiking. The council documented 18 civilian abductions. Six Naga men died after being handed over to the Kuki National Front-P, an armed group currently under a Suspension of Operations agreement. The UNC seeks a Minnesota Protocol investigation into a May 7, 2026, heavy-weapons strike by the Kuki National Army-Burma on villages including Z Choro, Namlee-Wanglee, and Kaka. They also want a probe into the May 13 extrajudicial executions.
The council alleges deep political bias in the region. They claim ST Thangboi Kipgen, the commander of the network involved in the killings, holds significant influence. The group stated that the commander "is married to Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen, which it argues creates severe political pressure and compromises the integrity of local investigations."
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