Security forces in Manipur on Sunday began operations to rescue hostages held by Kuki and Naga groups, and family members of 14 hostages from the Tavo Kuki community appealed for their safe release.
Although there is no official confirmation, Kuki groups claim that 14 members from their side are being held by Naga groups, which maintain that six of their members are being held by the group.
“The rescue operation has already begun and efforts are on to find the hostages and safe rescue of civilians from Kuki and Naga communities as soon as possible,” a senior security official requesting anonymity told HT.
The hostage crisis began on May 13 after unidentified assailants killed four civilians, including three church leaders, in two separate incidents in Kangbukpi and Nonni districts.
Among the deceased were three leaders of the Thado Baptist Association and a Naga man.
Read also: Manipur: Tracing the spark that ignited the recent Tangkul Naga-Kuki clashes
Following the incident, Manipur Home Minister Govindas Kunthugam said: “More than 28 members of the Kuki and Naga communities were detained by members of the corresponding communities.”
28 individuals, 14 from each community, were released on May 15; The rest are still being held by the groups concerned.
Young Kuki, a member of Kuki’s body, claimed in a statement on Sunday that among the 14 Kuki civilian hostages, three are students and “one of them suffers from muscular dystrophy due to his unique disability card. He is 38 percent disabled.”
“The Kuki people have endured enormous suffering and recurring hardship since violence erupted in Manipur in May 2023. Among those most affected are students, whose education, future and mental well-being have been severely disrupted by the ongoing conflict. Many students have lost precious years of schooling, while countless families have suffered financial burdens and emotional trauma.”
Meanwhile, family members of 14 hostages from the Tafo Kuki community have appealed for the safe release of their family members. A letter signed by the concerned family members said 13 individuals were from Tafo Kuki village and one from Hengbong village.
“Among those detained are individuals who are not participating in the conflict. Many may be suffering from deteriorating health, psychological trauma and extreme distress. Every hour that passes brings profound and agonizing agony to our family. Mothers, fathers and children live in a state of unbearable grief, praying daily for the safety of our loved ones,” the letter said.
It said: “Our boys are not activists or fighters. They have absolutely nothing to do with the broader conflict or the political storms surrounding us.”
The United Naga Council (UNC), an apex Naga body, claimed that six Naga civilians (all male) were still being held hostage by the Kuki militant. Naga bodies along with the Coordination Committee on Integrity of Manipur (COCOMI), an apex civic body in Manipur, held a protest in Kanglatongbe, Imphal West, on Saturday, demanding their safe release.
According to Naga Corpses, 20 Naga civilians were allegedly kidnapped from Lilon Faife village following the May 13 ambush incident in Kangbukpi District. While 14 of them have been released, six are still missing.
In a separate incident, vehicles, mostly goods trucks and passenger buses, remain stranded without access to adequate food, water and sanitation on National Highway 2 in Manipur in Senapati district, between Khongnim and Te Khulin, after Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), an apex body of the Kuki community, called for the closure of all Kuki inhabited areas following the killing of church leaders.
Many stranded passengers, including women, children and elderly travellers, are reportedly facing difficulties as basic supplies continue to run low. Drivers and passengers urged the Manipur government for their safe travel through a video.
A stranded passenger who requested anonymity told HT: “We went to Guwahati for the treatment of my two-year-old son, but this blockade is causing more problems for my son. If the government provides us security, we can reach our home.”
Senapati district is a Naga dominated district and Kangpokpi district which is on the way to Imphal from Senapati is a Kuki dominated district.
