The movement of Kuki in the Naga-inhabitant areas has now been perceived as “existential threats” for Naga, and the Foothills Naga Coordination Committee (FNCC) has formally notified several Naga CSOs in Manipur of its decision to enforce an indefinite bandh on the movement of Kuki people from today’s midnight (July 18) within the foothill regions of Naga-inhabited areas.
According to FNCC, the decision taken is a “peaceful but firm protest,” citing three major issues concerning unauthorized construction of German or Tiger roads without the people’s consent infringing Naga land ownership, illegal SoO camps proximate to foothills of Naga areas, and unchecked poppy cultivation.
The FNCC sent the letter announcing its decision to the Joint Tribe Council (JTC), Chiru Union, Kharam Union, Chandel Naga People’s Organisation, Tangkhul Naga Long, and Naga People’s Organisation, Senapati. The FNCC stated that the decision comes after “careful deliberation” and in response to what it described as “growing threats” to the ancestral lands, identity, and future of the Naga people.
The FNCC said the proposed German and Tiger roads, allegedly planned without the consent of the local Naga population, are seen as an infringement on traditional Naga land ownership. The presence of Kuki militants’ camps under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement is viewed as a serious threat to the security and peace of Naga communities in the region.
Widespread cultivation of poppy plants in the foothills is raising alarm not just for environmental degradation but also for its links to drug abuse and criminal activity, posing a risk to the social fabric of society.
“These encroachments and activities, if allowed to persist, will irreversibly harm the heritage, security, and future of the Naga people,” the FNCC said in its letter. It emphasized the need for unity among Naga bodies and tribal councils to defend ancestral territories against what it called “existential threats.”
