On 17 April, the Imphal Times carried a headline: 'CM Khemchand calls for dialogue, peace during emotional visit to various villages of Ukhrul District.' The Manipur chief minister was on a trust-building mission in a bid to bring peace between Nagas and Kukis. He called for dialogue as a way of bringing peace, but of course did not spell out what that dialogue would entail.

His visit to Ukhrul — home to Tangkhul Nagas — came in the aftermath of the latest spurt of violence in which, for the first time since ethnic clashes erupted in Manipur in May 2023, Nagas are being systematically targeted, making an already volatile situation even more violent.

Media tends to forget that there are more than 12 Naga tribes living in Manipur, with some communities spilling across the international border into Myanmar.

What are the causes of this new violence, in which Nagas have become a party? We cannot expect the government, either at the state or the Centre, to present us with facts. The commission of enquiry which is supposed to probe the causes of the 2023 violence has still not submitted its report, its deadline having been further extended to May 2026.

Nagas had remained neutral during the Meitei-Kuki conflict beginning May 2023, despite incidents in which they were targeted but. They kept away, but provided shelter to fleeing Kuki families.

Kuki–Naga violence in Ukhrul began in early February, with an assault on a Tangkhul Naga man at Litan by a group identified as Kuki‑Zo, triggering clashes, stone‑pelting, gunfire and the burning of around 20 houses mostly belonging to Naga villagers in the Litan–Sareikhong area.

The state imposed curfew and a five‑day internet shutdown, and deployed the Army, Assam Rifles and other forces, with reports of flag marches and area domination to prevent further escalation. However, this did little to restore normalcy.

Then came news of the abduction of 21 Tangkhul Naga civilians — 16 men and five women — on 11 March. The abductees were reportedly detained by armed Kuki villagers while travelling along the Imphal–Ukhrul road. The place of occurrence was the Kuki-dominated Shangkai village in Ukhrul district along National Highway 202.

After intense negotiations, the victims were released, but it was reported that their vehicles, mobile phones, and cash totalling over Rs 8.5 lakh were looted or confiscated. It was also reported that shortly after the release of the 21 civilians, the bodies of two missing Kuki men were found in a forested area, which led to further ethnic tension.

Tangkhul civil organisations have framed the 8 February incident and subsequent abductions of Nagas as “calculated aggression” against Tangkhul Nagas, explicitly accusing “Kuki militants” of targeting Nagas in Ukhrul and elsewhere.

Also Read: Remember Manipur? It’s a lot more complex than you realise

It is important to see these individual incidents in the context of past grievances. First, it should be remembered that more than 10 different Naga tribes have been living in Manipur spread over several districts of........

© National Herald