Imphal: The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) has condemned the reported killing of a Kuki-Zo woman and the serious injury of her husband in an alleged ambush in Manipur’s Kamjong district, demanding an impartial investigation and accountability for those responsible.
In a press release dated October 16, the council said four Kuki-Zo villagers travelling from Molvailup to Phaikoh to purchase essential commodities were reportedly ambushed by cadres of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) at around 4 pm on Thursday.
The woman, identified as Hatneikim Haokip, was killed on the spot, while her husband, Jamkhongam Haokip, sustained serious injuries, according to the council.
The KZC said the latest incident brought the reported number of Kuki-Zo civilians killed in violence attributed to NSCN-IM and the Zeliangrong United Front (K) (ZUF-K) to 30. The allegations have not been independently verified.
The council also criticised Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho over his reported demand for the removal of his colleague, Nemcha Kipgen, over allegations of complicity in the killing of Naga civilians.
The KZC said allegations concerning Dikho’s own alleged links with NSCN-IM and ZUF-K should also be scrutinised. It argued that demands for accountability must be consistent and impartial, rather than directed selectively.
The council further said that if Naga leaders in Manipur are calling for the abrogation of Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreements with the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and the United People’s Front (UPF), the ceasefire arrangement with NSCN-IM should also be reviewed for possible abrogation.
It called for the same standards to be applied to all armed groups, without political favouritism or discrimination.
The KZC also argued that if the president of the Kuki National Front (P) is to be arrested and treated as a terrorist, the leadership of NSCN-IM should face appropriate legal action over allegations of responsibility for the killing of more than 1,000 Kukis during the 1990s and the recent killings of Kuki-Zo civilians.
The council called for allegations of serious violence to be investigated with equal seriousness, regardless of the community affected or the organisation accused.
It urged the government to uphold the rule of law through consistent and impartial action, saying accountability should not vary according to the identity of the accused or the victims.