The Working Committee of Tangkhul Naga Long is compelled to express our utter exasperation on the video interview of a certain Tony Singsit whose false narrative has tarnished the image of the Tangkhul Naga community in the ongoing conflict in Manipur.
The press statement issued by the Media Cell, Working Committee of TNL stated that “in his baseless video, that has now gone viral, he has blamed the Tangkhul Naga community for orchestrating the ongoing tension in Senapati particularly following the killing of three Thadou Christian leaders in Kangpokpi.
“In the interview dated 16 May, he said “…I think around one person survived”. Then he went on to say “…7 of the Kuki hostages has been released and around 17, majority of the Naga hostages have been released”. As per the official state report, five persons were injured in the Kangpokpi ambush, and 16 Kuki hostages were released while only 14 Naga hostages were released. Claiming to be a Thadou-Kuki himself from his high chair, he couldn’t even get the facts right.
‘We, thus, question the credibility of Tony Singsit speaking about the Litan incident from a first-hand perspective when he was far removed from the real incident and narrating a completely fabricated order of events. When he couldn’t even get the facts right about his own tribesman, who is he to comment about the business of another tribe? Is he being paid to spew such nonsense, a mere third party?
“While the perpetrators of the ambush are yet to be ascertained, he and the Kuki organisations are trying to pin the blame on the Tangkhul Naga community with no evidence. On the series of Press Releases issued by different Thadou groups where few pointed that it could be an internal rivalry, he had the audacity to shamelessly state, “… Tangkhuls are trying to create this narrative”. Is he implying that the Tangkhuls are all-mighty that we can even manipulate/influence his tribe (Thadou-Kuki) to follow our narratives?
“The Tangkhul Naga community have always been benevolent. We had given refuge and assistance to the IDPs even during the 2023 Meitei-Kuki conflict. We had even ensured the safety of Kuki students by evacuating them to a safe place. One cannot judge by the unfortunate 7th Feb 2026 incident at Litan Sareikhong. This is not an isolated incident of atrocities against us, the land owners, by the Kukis, refugees. It only reflects how our tolerance for their atrocities has reached the saturation level.
‘Tony Singsit mentioned that all Kukis wanted was/is Peace, and always ready to sit down for negotiation. Yet he failed to mention what the demands of Tangkhul Naga community has always been regarding the Conflict in Ukhrul/Kamjong district. The Tangkhul Naga community has always been clear about our demand – that the rightful land owner be honored. That, the Kuki SoO camps be removed from the vicinity of Ukhrul District as they have violated every SoO R&R.
“Thus, the Kukis should stop using ignorant XYZ as their mouthpiece that will disrupt the fragile peace left in the region” added the statement issued by the Media Cell, Working Committee, TNL
