Kangpokpi, September 8: The Foothill Naga Coordination Committee (FNCC) has issued a strong objection to reports that the Thingsat camp—housing Kuki militant groups under the Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement—may be relocated to Kharam Vaiphei village in Kangpokpi district and renamed as the “Lhangkichoi” camp.
In a press statement released on Sunday, the FNCC condemned the proposed move, calling it a “total undermining” of the rights of the Naga people, particularly those residing in the foothill regions. The committee recalled that the Government of Manipur had previously assured Naga stakeholders that their sentiments would be respected during any review of the SoO agreement—a key reason why earlier Naga agitations had been suspended.
“Barely a month has passed since this assurance was made, yet today we are confronted with alarming reports that Kuki militant groups are to be provided a safe haven in our ancestral land,” the FNCC stated.
Warning of rising ethnic tensions, the FNCC declared that any attempt to establish a Kuki militant camp in Naga ancestral territory would be met with strong resistance. Specifically, the committee threatened to seal off roads passing through Naga areas currently used by the Kuki community to connect Churachandpur and Kangpokpi. They also vowed to evict any illegal Kuki villages established without the consent of local Naga landowners.
The FNCC further alleged that Kuki militants and refugees were misusing Naga land for illicit activities such as drug trafficking and smuggling, resulting in “unimaginable wealth being amassed and turned against the indigenous Naga people.”
Blaming the state government for the potential crisis, the FNCC warned that bloodshed between the Naga and Kuki communities would be inevitable if the camp relocation proceeds. The committee urged authorities to reconsider the move and uphold previous commitments made to the Naga populace.
