Naga legislators urge Amit Shah to act against Kuki-Zo leaders and Nemcha Kipgen over alleged militant links, while demanding SoO abrogation and justice in Manipur.
Imphal, August 31: A group of Naga legislators from Manipur has appealed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah for immediate intervention in the state’s continuing conflict, demanding action against Kuki-Zo leaders and militant groups over a series of alleged attacks on Naga civilians.
In a letter addressed to the Union Home Minister in New Delhi, the legislators warned that the situation in Manipur had reached a “critical and volatile stage” and could deteriorate further unless what they described as “unbiased, decisive and bold action” was taken without delay.
The appeal was signed by Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho and eight other Naga legislators, including Awangbow Newmai, Dinganglung Gangmei, Leishiyo Keishing, J Kumo Sha, Khasim Vashum, Janghemlung Panmei, Ram Muivah and SS Olish.
The legislators placed the alleged killing and dismemberment of six Naga men at the centre of their appeal. They called for the immediate arrest of Kuki-Zo leaders whom they alleged had publicly claimed responsibility for the killings.
They also specifically sought the arrest of Thangboi Kipgen of the Kuki National Front-Presidential (KNF-P), alleging that cadres of the group, led by a person identified in the letter as self-styled General “Tiger” Kipgen, were responsible for the killing and mutilation of the six Naga civilians.
The allegations contained in the letter have been made by the Naga legislators and were not accompanied in the appeal by details of any court finding establishing the claims.
Demand action against Deputy CM Nemcha Kipgen
The legislators also demanded action against Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen, citing her relationship with Thangboi Kipgen.
In the letter, they alleged that the Deputy Chief Minister’s office was colluding with the KNF-P, which they claimed was led by her husband. The legislators argued that such alleged links had made it difficult for people to understand the government’s peace process.
The demand places the role of the state government and the ongoing Suspension of Operations (SoO) framework under renewed scrutiny from the Naga legislators.
The legislators urged the Union Home Minister to take what they described as immediate and necessary steps to address their concerns, arguing that failure to act could further undermine public confidence in the government’s handling of the conflict.
Call for abrogation of SoO agreement
A key demand in the letter was the immediate abrogation of the Suspension of Operations agreement with Kuki militant groups.
The legislators alleged that militant groups covered by the SoO arrangement had repeatedly violated the terms of the agreement and were involved in acts of violence against civilians.
They argued that continued violence despite the existing ceasefire framework raised serious questions about the effectiveness of the arrangement and called for its termination.
The SoO agreement is a framework under which designated armed groups maintain a suspension of military operations while remaining subject to agreed ground rules and monitoring mechanisms. The Naga legislators have now called for the arrangement with Kuki militant groups to be scrapped, citing what they described as repeated violations.
IT Road ambush cited as latest incident
The legislators also referred to the August 27 ambush along the IT Road in Kangpokpi district, in which four Naga civilians were killed.
They described the killings as another serious attack on Naga civilians and linked the incident to what they characterised as a broader pattern of violence in recent months.
According to the letter, the legislators were particularly concerned that the latest killings occurred while the bodies of the six Naga men allegedly killed and mutilated earlier remained unclaimed amid protests over the failure to arrest those responsible.
They argued that the absence of arrests in the earlier case had contributed to a growing sense of frustration among the affected community.
The legislators also cited the April 18, 2026, ambush at TM Kasom along NH-202, where two people were killed, as another incident requiring attention.
They further referred to the August 14 attack on Langka, described in the letter as a Naga village, alleging that the village was attacked and burnt and that two farmers were killed.
The letter stated that several other incidents involving Naga civilians had occurred in the recent past but that justice had not been delivered in those cases.
Warning over continued support to Manipur government
The Naga legislators also issued a political warning over their continued support for the Manipur government.
They stated that if the actions demanded in their appeal were not initiated, they would face increasing difficulty in responding to questions from the public regarding their continued support for the government.
The legislators described the position as one taken out of “absolute necessity” and in what they called the larger interest of the people of Manipur.
They appealed to Amit Shah to exercise his authority and intervene in the situation, expressing hope that decisive action from the Centre would help restore peace and normalcy in the state.
The appeal comes amid continued violence and competing demands from different communities over security, accountability, the SoO framework and the government’s approach to the conflict.
The signatories concluded by stating that they trusted the Union Home Minister’s leadership to address the situation and restore normalcy in Manipur.
