New Delhi: The United Naga Council (UNC) has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to step in immediately and called for a judicial inquiry after six bodies of Liangmai Naga men were discovered in Manipur, accusing Kuki armed groups of waging a “proxy war” against Nagas and alleging official inaction, PTI reported.
UNC leaders, speaking at the Press Club of India here on Saturday, said they have handed a memorandum to the prime minister describing a rapidly worsening security situation across Naga areas of the state. The council, which represents 21 Naga tribes, also asked the Centre to revoke the Suspension of Operations (SoO) arrangements with Kuki groups and to proscribe the Kuki National Front‑President (KNF‑P).
Demand For Probe & PM Action
The UNC said 20 Nagas were abducted on May 13 after three Thadou church leaders were killed earlier that day. Fourteen of the abducted were released on May 15, but the remaining six later turned up dead. “The bodies were recovered on June 10. But so far, no arrests have been made. We are shocked to see the approach of the state and central security forces. They have done nothing to safeguard the properties and lives of civilians,” Samson Remei, a senior UNC leader, said.
UNC leaders claimed they had asked Ajit Lal, Adviser (Northeast) in the Ministry of Home Affairs, to press for the removal of Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen, pointing to what they described as a “family connection” between her and Kuki militant groups.
Concerns Over Peace Process
The UNC warned the killings could undermine the long‑running Indo‑Naga dialogue. “We fear that the attacks on Nagas and the targeted killings are aimed at derailing the Indo‑Naga peace process. As it is, the framework agreement hangs in limbo, and the recent incidents may jeopardise it further,” L Adani, a UNC functionary, said.
The council referenced the 2015 Indo‑Naga Framework Agreement — signed in the presence of Prime Minister Modi as a step toward resolving the decades‑old Naga political issue — and accused the Suspension of Operations (SoO) arrangements of enabling militants to target civilians.
UNC leaders stressed the Nagas had tried to remain neutral since the wider Meitei‑Kuki conflict erupted in May 2023 but said neutrality has not spared their communities.
“The Nagas maintained neutrality ever since the clashes broke out, as we believed that it was not our war or battle. In return, our brothers have been beheaded, their bodies mutilated. This concerns the credibility of the peace process and the security of India’s eastern frontier,” said KS Paul Leo, former UNC president.
Call For Accountability & Security
UNC members demanded a court‑monitored inquiry into recent attacks dating from March, restoration of security along national highways, and assurances that no administrative decision will infringe on what they described as ancestral Naga lands.
AC Thotso, part of the UNC working group, questioned the impartiality of security forces and said the council wanted direct responses from Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
