IMPHAL, May 29: In a significant development, the Committee on Protection of Indigenous People’s Ancestral Land (COPIPAL) has announced a complete restriction on the movement of Kukis within the territories of the Inpui, Liangmai, Rongmei, and Zeme tribes, effective from June 2, 2025. The declaration comes in the wake of the April 5 attack on Konsaram village, which COPIPAL has strongly condemned.
COPIPAL, which was formed during the People’s Consultative Meeting convened by the Joint Tribe Council (JTC) on April 14, 2025, at Konsaram village, described the attack as an “unprovoked and orchestrated act of aggression.” “This act of aggression, carried out without justification, represents a direct affront to the dignity, safety, and rights of the Indigenous Naga people,” the committee stated.
“This decision, though taken with great restraint, is necessitated by the gravity of the situation and will remain in force until the issue is resolved amicably and satisfactorily through dialogue and mutual understanding under the auspices of COPIPAL,” stated in it’s press release.
COPIPAL called on all stakeholders and ethnic communities to respect the directive and work cooperatively to restore peace while ensuring the territorial and ancestral rights of the Indigenous Naga people are upheld.
