Imphal: Widespread condemnation erupted from multiple Kuki organisations on Thursday following coordinated arson attacks that left two villages—Gampal and Haijang—in Manipur’s Kamjong district reduced to ashes.
The incident, which occurred around 8:00 am in the Sahamphung Sub-Division, displaced several families and reignited fears of escalating ethnic violence in the region.
In a joint statement, the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), Kuki Students’ Organisation, Kuki Women’s Union, Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights, and the Kuki Chiefs’ Association Manipur denounced the destruction, accusing unidentified miscreants of deliberately targeting the Kuki-Zo community. “This is yet another horrifying chapter in the systematic targeting of the Kuki-Zo people,” the statement read. “The attackers destroyed homes, displaced families, and deepened the wounds of a community already burdened by ethnic violence.”
The organisations criticised what they described as the central government’s inadequate response and issued three key demands to the authorities. These included immediate rebuilding of the razed villages with adequate compensation for the affected families, deployment of neutral security forces to ensure the safety of vulnerable populations, and urgent humanitarian aid to support those who have lost their homes and belongings.
Declaring that their calls are rooted in fundamental rights rather than favours, the collective warned against continued silence on the crisis. “The Kuki-Zo people are not asking for favours — we are demanding our constitutional rights to safety, dignity, and justice,” they asserted.
The fresh violence adds to the already tense atmosphere in Manipur, where ethnic unrest and community targeting have persisted for months. As the affected families remain in urgent need of shelter and support, the organisations called for swift intervention to prevent further deterioration of the situation.
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