Liangmai Naga village orders Leilon Vaiphei to vacate
Source: Chronicle News Service / NNN

Imphal, January 08 2025: Konsakhul (Konsaram) Village Authority, representing the Liangmai Naga community, has issued an order to the Leilon Vaiphei village (Kuki-Zo) to vacate the land of Konsaram within 15 days of the notice.

The order follows allegations that the Leilon Vaiphei village violated the "age-old principle of peaceful co-existence" upheld by the Liangmai Naga people.

The authority claimed that on January 7, a woman from Konsakhul village was assaulted in broad daylight at K Lungwiram under Kangchup Geljang sub-division in Kangpokpi district, allegedly at the instruction of the Leilon Vaiphei leadership.

The Konsakhul Village Authority accused the Leilon Vaiphei village of disregarding the "humanitarian grounds" on which they had been allowed to settle on the land as tenants.

The authority stated that the Leilon Vaiphei had recently engaged in 'anti-social activities, particularly targeting innocent Kaga villagers in Konsaram area, showing a lack of respect for the kindness and generosity previously extended to them.

"It is deeply painful to state that, despite displaying our unparalleled magnanimity and forgiveness, you have crossed all limits," the village authority added.

The authority further reminded the Leilon Vaiphei that the lease agreement between the landlord (Konsaram) and the tenant (Leilon) had expired and the Leilon Vaiphei village was consequently instructed to vacate the land within the stipulated 15-day period.

Failure to comply would result in forceful eviction, with all unwanted consequence, if any, to be solely attributed to the Leilon Vaiphei village, the village authority warned.

On the other-hand, Liangmai Naga Council - Eastern Zone (LNC-EZ) has demanded formal apology from the Kuki community within 24 hours for the assault on a Naga woman in broad daylight at K Lungwiram, located under the erstwhile Senapati district.

The incident, which occurred on the land of Konsakhul Lungwiram village, has been described by the LNC as a serious breach of the long-established land rights of the Liangmai Naga people.

The Council maintained that the land where the assault took place rightfully belongs to the Liangmai village and that any dispute over its ownership is unfounded, the LNC-EZ asserted in a statement on Wednesday.

Condemning the attack in the strongest possible terms, the Council labelled it as a "pre-planned attack" aimed at undermining the dignity and identity of the Naga people.

It further described the assault as an act of "war-mongering" and a violation of human rights, particularly the rights of women.

The victim, a woman from Konsakhul Lungwiram, was physically assaulted by a group of Kuki individuals, who also destroyed her electronic gadget during the attack, the LNC-EZ stated, adding that such actions reflect a complete disregard for peaceful co-existence and the longstanding principle of respect for each other's rights and territories.

The Liangmai Naga Council has called for immediate action, urging authorities to apprehend the perpetrators and hold them accountable for their actions.

Additionally, the Council has demanded that the leadership of the Kuki community issue a formal and written apology to the victim and to the Naga people within the next 24 hours.

Should the Kuki community fail to comply with these demands, the LNC would take further steps to protect the interests of the Naga people, holding the Kuki groups responsible for any further disturbances, the statement warned.

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