IMPHAL, June 16: The Foothills Naga Co-ordination Committee (FNCC) has strongly rejected the notion of a separate “Kukiland” within Manipur, labelling it an “imaginary construct” that is, according to the committee, fueling the ongoing ethnic unrest in the state. In a strongly worded statement, the FNCC accused certain Kuki groups of attempting to distort historical facts and encroach upon indigenous people’s land.

The committee alleged that “historical accounts and governmental records have clearly established that the Kukis are not indigenous to Manipur,” asserting that they are primarily migrants and refugees from Myanmar and Bangladesh. According to the FNCC, the promotion of a Kukiland narrative represents a strategic attempt to usurp ancestral lands and rewrite the region’s cultural and geographic heritage.

The FNCC further accused Kuki groups of attempting to rename prominent landmarks — such as Mt Koubru, Mt Thangjing, and SP Road — in what they called “blatant efforts to overwrite the ancestral heritage of native communities.” These moves, the committee said, are “not only provocative but a direct threat to the very existence of the indigenous people.”

Additionally, the FNCC condemned the construction of “illegal bunkers, makeshift shelters, and road blockades by Kuki militant groups and their armed volunteers in Naga territories,” describing them as a “direct challenge to peaceful coexistence.” It also raised concerns over illegal gates on public roads, encroachment on forest lands, and occupation of public property.

The committee demanded the immediate withdrawal of Kuki militant groups from what it identifies as Naga territories, warning that “armed aggression and the use of violence to assert illegitimate territorial claims will only escalate the conflict and provoke necessary countermeasures.”

In diagnosing the root causes of the prolonged unrest, the FNCC identified “narcoterrorism and illegal immigration” as twin threats undermining social harmony and threatening the future of Manipur’s indigenous communities. It claimed the unchecked influx of drugs, arms, and foreign nationals has empowered insurgent groups to entrench themselves and destabilize the region.

Despite the serious allegations and warnings, the FNCC reiterated its belief that “peaceful coexistence is possible,” but firmly maintained that it must be grounded in “respect for historical truth and the rule of law.” The statement concluded with a warning: “The creation of imaginary homelands on someone else’s land is not coexistence, it is encroachment, and it will be dealt with [an] iron hand.”