The Kuki CSO Working Committee Ukhrul (WCKCSOs-Ukhrul) categorically rejected the premature attribution of the firing incident around 4:50 PM on 04 November 2026 to the Kuki-Zo community, particularly allegations suggesting that civilian vehicles plying along NH-202 were deliberately targeted by Kuki-Zo village volunteers.
The Kuki CSO Working Committee Ukhrul stated that “assigning blame without establishing the facts is irresponsible, prejudicial and unacceptable.”
The Kuki CSO Working Committee Ukhrul further stated that “information available indicates that suspected NSCN(IM) cadres opened fire in the forest stretch between Phaisihom and Khaopilen, covering the Mongkot Chepu and Chepu Yaolen forest areas. The incident occurred against the backdrop of an armed confrontation between NSCN(IM) and ZUF(J) at Noney, Tamenglong district, earlier today, resulting in one NSCN(IM) cadre and three ZUF(J) cadres being killed. The possibility that the intrusion and firing were intended to divert attention from this internal conflict and implicate the Kuki-Zo community cannot be dismissed. Deliberate provocation and blame-shifting are neither unprecedented nor unfamiliar tactics. NSCN(IM) cannot be permitted to operate with impunity while the Kuki-Zos are conveniently made the default suspects for every firing incident in their vicinity.
“More disturbing is the State Government’s glaringly unequal security dispensation. Tangkhul civilians are facilitated with an escorted movement along NH-202, while Kuki-Zo civilians are denied comparable security arrangements. despite persistent threats to their lives. This is nothing short of stepmotherly treatment. While one community enjoys facilitated movement, Kuki-Zos are conveniently blamed for every disruption or impediment to the highway’s functioning. The repeated instances of unhindered movement by NSCN(IM) cadres further raise serious questions about the security establishment’s consistency and impartiality.
“The Kuki-Zos cannot remain perpetual victims of violence and simultaneously be held responsible for every act of violence occurring around them. The security establishment must abandon selective attribution of blame and ensure that allegations are assessed on evidence rather than community identity.
“WCKCSOs-Ukhrul demands the immediate extension of escorted movement facilities and adequate security arrangements to Kuki-Zo civilians along NH-202, on par with those afforded to Tangkhul civilians. The State Government cannot continue to facilitate the mobility of one community while leaving another exposed to persistent security threats and subsequently holding it responsible for every disruption.
“Security cannot be a privilege for one community, a vulnerability for another, and a pretext to assign blame to the latter. Equal protection is a constitutional obligation, not a discretionary favour” added the statement issued by the Department of Information and Media WCKCSOs-Ukhrul.
