The United Naga Council Working Committee has issued a rejoinder to the statement of the Kuki Organization for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR) dated 19 May 2026.
The rejoinder statement reads, “we are constrained to issue this plain rejoinder to the Kuki Organization for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR)’s statement dated May 19, 2026 to the UNC’s statement dated May 18, which draws a blank missing the points raised by the UNC. While KOHUR brands UNC’s statement as “advocacy text” but your statement did the exact thing against Nagas with concocted narratives, which are all out of the context of our statement. As a human rights body, we expected KOHUR to dwell on the grave concerns like the safety and safe exchange of captives held by either side. The complicity in the murder is untenably mentioned by strangely conflating the killing sprees and the bloody attacks on the Tangkhul Nagas with the wild allegation of the ambush against the ZUF (K) and NSCN-IM without any proof. What reason or benefit, politically or otherwise would the ZUF (K) and NSCN-IM gain by snuffing out the lives of late Dr. Sitlhou and his fellow reverends? KOHUR must deeply and truthfully reflect on this question till dawns upon you that the bullets and the guns were but yours only.
“Following the 13th May, 2026 barbaric ambush, the Kukis turned a peaceful area into a conflict zone by holding 20 Naga civilians hostage and killing an innocent Chiru Naga on that fateful day itself. In the greater concern for peace in the State, Nagas did not act out of anger but patiently trusted upon the law and authorities to carry out their moral and bounden duties. This considered decision was not taken out of weakness. But it is truly surprising that not even a single word of condemnation was uttered by KOHUR against the killers of the Reverends and those injured. Same avoidance has been markedly visible in the case of hostage taking by the Kukis, enacted as an angry reaction to cover the ambush they themselves had committed. Human Rights Organisation, which KOHUR claims to be one, fails in its first duty to condemn the gross violation of human rights and hence, unworthy to claim themselves as one.
“This rejoinder will not go out of the context to avoid waste of time and energy, which is being invested for the concern and release of Naga captives in your hands. All what the Nagas have been striving for at this tumultuous moment is on saving precious lives and extending the humane touch that society is crying out for” added the statement issued by the Media Cell, Working Committee, UNC.
