Ukhrul, November 5: Naga organisations staged a massive rally in Manipur’s Ukhrul district on Thursday, demanding a permanent political solution to the ongoing crisis in the state and the withdrawal of Assam Rifles from Naga-inhabited areas.
The rally was organised by the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) and Tangkhul Frontal Organisation under the aegis of the United Naga Council (UNC). Protesters from different parts of the district assembled at Dungrei Junction and Mission Ground before marching towards the Ukhrul Headquarters Ground, where a public meeting was held.
The protest disrupted normal life in the district, with shops, private institutions and public transport remaining closed. Participants carried placards highlighting concerns over militarisation, the ongoing ethnic conflict and the presence of armed groups in the state.
Among their demands were the withdrawal of Assam Rifles from Naga areas, an end to the alleged arming of Kuki militants, the abrogation of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement and the declaration of Kuki militant organisations as terrorist groups. Protesters also demanded the repatriation of Kuki refugees and the deportation of people they described as illegal Kuki immigrants.
Addressing the gathering, Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (TKS) president Ramreichan Keishing said the rally centred on three main demands: a political resolution to the Manipur crisis, an end to what he described as a proxy war against the Naga community, and the removal of Assam Rifles from Naga-inhabited areas.
Keishing alleged that Kuki groups operating under the SoO agreement, with the protection of the Government of India, were engaged in hostilities against the Naga community. He also accused Assam Rifles of failing to maintain neutrality despite being deployed for security purposes.
A college student participating in the rally highlighted the impact of the prolonged conflict on students' education and career prospects, urging the government to restore normalcy. A similar protest was also held in neighbouring Kamjong district.
Following the rally, the organisations submitted a memorandum addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah through the district commissioner. The memorandum described the Manipur crisis as a historical problem and called for a permanent political settlement by addressing what it termed structural imbalances between the hill and valley regions.
The memorandum claimed that 32 Naga civilians had been killed in violent incidents since the crisis began. It also claimed that the number of Kuki villages in Manipur's hill areas had increased from around 73 in the 1881 census to 1,878 at present. These figures represent claims made in the memorandum and have not been independently established in the report.
