GUWAHATI: Three Kuki-Zo villagers, including two women, were killed and four others from the community were injured in an attack by alleged Naga rebels in Manipur on Monday. The attack took place at N Teikhang Kuki village in Kuki-majority Kangpokpi district at around 8 am.
Several houses were also set ablaze by the attackers.
The deceased were identified as Tingneichin Lhouvum (40), Hoineineng Lhoujem (21) and Lamtinthang Lhoujem (36), while the injured were identified as Nemneichong Lhoujem (50), Seilun Lhoujem (70), Deilhing Haokip (55) and Kamtinsei Chongloi (38).
Two women were among the injured.
The attack came close on the heels of the August 27 killing of four Naga civilians in an ambush by alleged Kuki rebels on the IT Road. The two sites of the attacks are only a few kilometres apart.
The back-to-back attacks have triggered fear among residents.
The Twilang Area Kuki CSO Working Committee, in a statement, condemned Monday's attack, alleging that it was carried out by members of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) and its “proxy force”, Zeliangrong United Front (Kamson) (ZUF-Kamson).
The Committee said the killing of innocent civilians, particularly unarmed women, and the burning of their homes constituted acts of extreme cowardice, savagery and moral bankruptcy.
“Such brutality is an assault on human dignity, the rule of law and the Christian values of peace, compassion and respect for human life. No political objective, territorial claim or organisational interest can ever justify the murder of civilians or the terrorisation of an entire village,” the Committee further stated.
The Kuki Students’ Organisation Sadar Hills expressed outrage, shock and condemnation over the “cowardly acts of violence unleashed against innocent civilians.”
“This horrific atrocity exposes a profound and systemic failure of the security forces and the government, raising grave questions as to why anti-national elements, such as NSCN-IM and ZUF-K, are allowed to operate with complete impunity,” the student body said in a statement.
It questioned authorities how insurgent groups, despite being bound by ceasefires and ground-rule agreements, were moving about freely and killing unarmed civilians “without facing immediate military containment or law enforcement action.”
Manipur has witnessed a series of attacks involving people from Naga and Kuki communities since February this year. Many lives have been lost, while scores of houses have been torched in the attacks.