Kuki-Zo Council calls FNCC bandh ‘inhumane, unchristian’, urges immediate lift
The bandh, which came into effect on July 18 , has significantly impacted parts of Kangpokpi, Tamenglong & Noney districts;
The bandh has significantly impacted the movement of people in parts of Kangpokpi, Tamenglong, and Noney districts.
Imphal, July 20: Following the indefinite bandh called by the Foothills Naga Coordination Committee (FNCC), the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) has issued a strong appeal for its withdrawal, citing severe disruptions to the movement of the Kuki-Zo community.
In a statement on Saturday, the council expressed deep concern and disappointment over the bandh, which came into effect at midnight on July 18 and targets the movement of Kuki-Zo people through Naga-inhabited areas in Manipur.
“More than 150 Kuki-Zo individuals were mercilessly killed, over 7,000 homes were reduced to ashes, and more than 360 churches-symbols of our shared Christian faith-were destroyed or desecrated. In the aftermath of such atrocities, our people have been left with no viable option but to seek alternate routes for movement,” the statement read.
They called the blocking of movement of the entire community unconstitutional, inhumane and unchristianly.
Notably, the bandh was enforced to protest the "unauthorised construction" of the Tiger Road project—a voluntary initiative by Kuki organisations to connect Churachandpur and Kangpokpi districts, which passes through Naga-inhabited areas.
The bandh has significantly impacted the movement of people in parts of Kangpokpi, Tamenglong, and Noney districts.
Supporters of the bandh erected roadblocks using logs, stones, and makeshift barricades at several locations, including Makhan, Tongjei Maril (Old Cachar Road), Dolang Chiru, the Tupul-Noney Road, Tupul-Noney junction, and the Longsai-Khoupum Road, leaving many commuters and transporters stranded for hours.
The FNCC has also demanded the dismantling of camps run by Kuki militant groups under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the Centre, and the halting of widespread poppy cultivation in the region.
Backing the bandh, the Eastern Liangmai Naga Chief Chairman Association voiced serious concerns about what it described as land encroachment and threats to the cultural and territorial integrity of Naga ancestral land. The association condemned alleged efforts to rename roads and locations within Naga territories, calling such actions "violations of historical and cultural rights."
“These changes are not just inappropriate. They violate the cultural, historical, and territorial rights of the Naga people,” the association said, warning that such unilateral moves must be condemned and reversed.
