Manipur: Three Kuki civilians killed in suspected militant attack

Manipur: Three Kuki civilians killed in suspected militant attack Three members of the Kuki community were killed in an alleged militant attack near the Imphal-Tamenglong road in Kangpokpi district, according to a senior police official. The victims were identified as 40-year-old Tingneichin Lhouvum, 36-year-old Lamtinthang Lhoujem and 21-year-old Hoineineng Lhoujem. Four others were injured in the incident. The attack is believed to have been carried out by an armed group associated with the Naga community. This follows a similar attack earlier in the week, during which four Naga civilians were killed by unidentified gunmen. The violence comes amid heightened tensions between the Kuki and Naga communities in Manipur. These tensions escalated in February following an alleged assault involving members of the Tangkhul Naga and Kuki-Zo communities in Ukhrul district. The situation worsened after ethnic clashes erupted in May 2023 between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo-Hmar communities. Since then, at least 260 people have been killed and over 59,000 displaced due to the conflict. The latest killings bring the death toll in the ongoing Kuki-Naga conflict to at least 34 since February. The Imphal-Tamenglong road, a key thoroughfare in the region, runs through areas where Kuki and Naga communities live in close proximity. The repeated attacks along this route have raised concerns about the safety of local residents. On Monday, nine Naga Members of Legislative Assembly, including Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho, wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah requesting immediate action to restore peace in Manipur. They called for the arrest of Kuki-Zo leaders who have publicly claimed responsibility for the deaths of Naga civilians. Amid the rising unrest, the Union government has postponed the Census 2027 exercise in Manipur. The decision was made during a meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, though the Ministry of Home Affairs has not yet issued an official statement. The first phase of the census, which involves house listing, was originally set to begin on Tuesday and run until September 30. Preparations for the census had already been disrupted by protests in the state. These protests stem from demands by certain civil society groups in Manipur for the National Register of Citizens (NRC) to be updated prior to the census. Advocates from the Meitei, Naga and Meitei Pangal communities argue that using the 1951-based NRC will help identify individuals they claim are undocumented migrants from Myanmar. Fourteen civil society organizations representing these communities have approached senior political figures, including BJP leader Nitin Nabin and Union ministers, urging them to implement the NRC update before the census. These groups do not include representatives from the Kuki-Zo community. The groups have expressed concern that undocumented migrants from Myanmar may be counted as residents during the census, potentially affecting population statistics and resource allocation. The delay in the census has sparked further debate about the implications of the NRC update and its potential impact on the demographic data collected. As the situation continues to evolve, authorities are under pressure to address both the security concerns and the administrative challenges posed by the ongoing disputes.