The calculated conflicts waged by Kuki terrorist groups against Indigenous communities pose a grave and continuing threat to the safety, stability, security, and peaceful situation of Manipur.
The recent killings of 4 civilians Betterson Jajo, Vareishim Jajo, Ningthem Kasak, and Phami Jajo on 24 September, 2026. And, subsequently the brutal killings of Mr. Rocky Mao, Mr. Kumar Poumai, Mr. Ashiho Sani, on 26 September, 2026 at Kailenjang, happened at the strategic location, Pilong, Kamjong near India-Myanmar border, and between Kangpokpi and Senapati respectively.
The latter incident happened just after the tripartite talks held on 26 September, Guwahati between the United Naga Council (UNC) and Manipur and central governments. Moreover, the incident happened at arrival time of Hon’ble Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of Manipur in Senapati district.
The Naga Women’s Union (NWU) emphasizes that the conflict in Manipur cannot be understood or addressed as a conventional ethnic conflict. Had the crisis been driven solely by ethnic antagonism, it could have been resolved much earlier. Its persistence points are far more intricate and political in nature.
The Naga Women’s Union is particularly concerned about the growing strategic and commercial significance of major transport corridors and border routes, including Asian Highways, ADB-supported roads, disputed Ring Road and international borders. These developments intersect with concerns relating to illicit cross-border trade, trafficking drugs, and other trans-national activities connected to wider Golden Triangle, narcotic network raise concern about border trafficking. The utilization or alteration of indigenous land and forests for infrastructure, development of roads, without the Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) plantation of illegal crop, especially poppy on large scale by non-owners that affected land and environment raises fundamental questions of land rights and the protection of traditional systems of land governance of the indigenous peoples.
The crisis has been further compounded by governance failures, and inadequate accountability abduction of 21 Naga civilians from Shangkai Kuki village, on 11 March, 2026, hostage-taking of 18 civilians including women and a child on 13 May 2026, killings involving mutilation, and other serious abuses against civilians that triggered shock wave to the region and global communities. If the government had seriously and befittingly dealt the perpetrators, things might have controlled.
The NWU is equally concerned that weaknesses in regional and international policy responses in the boundaries of drug and ammunition, influx of illegal immigrants have contributed to the protracted nature of the crisis. The situation, therefore warrants a broader policy review that goes beyond immediate security measures and addresses the structural conditions sustaining instability.
For, the conflict of Manipur is not merely a matter of domestic security. The conflict of Manipur engages internationally recognized principles of war that are heavily imposed to fight against the indigenous peoples.
The NWU, women led organization calls upon the Government of India and the Government of Manipur to develop the mechanisms to deal the threat of insurgency to the state, North East Region and the whole country. A durable political process must address the underlying questions of land, resources, territorial claims, governance and the rights of indigenous peoples of the state.
The failure to address these structural causes, including drug and ammunition networks and illegal immigration, has prolonged the crisis. If the insurgent violent activities in the border state of Manipur is not brought under control, its impact could spread beyond the state and pose wider security challenges to the nation in the years ahead.
The Union further calls for a credible investigation without prejudice into any external or cross-border interference, illicit support flows, arms networks, trafficking routes, or other transnational factors that may be contributing to the continuation of the conflict. And, it is already the time to respond and reciprocate the act of threats without considering the affiliation of perpetrators without further delay. If not, the civilians and unarmed communities will face serious consequences of conflict and the governments will bear accountability of Kuki terrorism, which may result beyond reparation.
Issued by: Information and Publicity Cell, Naga Women’s Union
