Uncertainty still looms over Namlee, Wanglee, Z Choro
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 01 2026: Villagers of Z Choro, Wanglee and Namlee have denounced the statement made by Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam regarding the attack at these border villages on May 7, 2026 .

After visiting these villages, the Home Minister stated that official reports did not mention that the attack was carried out by foreign militants.

However, the villagers maintained the attack and arson was carried out by a joint force of the Kuki National Army-Burma (KNA-B) and the People;s Defence Force (PDF)-both Myanmar-based militant groups.

Uncertainty still looms over Namlee, Wanglee, Z Choro

A team of Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) led by its working president Victor Keishing and MLA Okram Surjakumar visited Kaka, Z Choro, Wanglee and Namlee villages located near the Indo-Myanmar border on Sunday.

Interacting with the visiting MPCC team, Namlee village headman Eric alias Amu Tangkhul said that following the attack by the combined force of KNA-B and PDF on May 7 during which the foreign militants torched residential houses, local markets, and the residences of village chiefs, the villagers have been living in terror, taking refuge in makeshift tents in the forests, and returning briefly only during the day to check on their properties.

He said that gunshots are heard every night quite close to the villages.

He said that continuous sound of heavy gunfire coming from across the Myanmar border during night has triggered widespread panic, particularly among women and children.

"If State security forces are not deployed immediately, it will be impossible for the villagers to return and rebuild their lives.

We appeal to the State leadership to intervene before the situation deteriorates further," Eric alias Amu stated.

The village authorities also expressed a complete lack of confidence in the Central security forces stationed in the area, accusing them of failing to protect the local population during the crisis.

Z Choro village headman, Kafungyui, strongly criticized the response of the State Government.

He explicitly refuted the recent statement made by Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam, who had downplayed the incident and denied it was an act of "foreign aggression" .

Kafungyui maintained that the attacks, arson, and displacement were directly carried out by foreign elements (KNA-B and PDF) operating from Myanmar.

He condemned the Home Minister;s statement as unsatisfactory and insensitive to the plight of the border residents.

He urged the State Government to take strict measures to protect Manipur's territorial integrity, stating that the local indigenous population will not accept any governance or security setup that fails to secure their lives.

Kafungyui said that they have been living in the border areas without basic infrastructure not because they do not have sources of livelihood at other places.

"We could shift to Imphal and other more comfortable places.

We stay put at the border areas to safeguard the boundary of our homeland Manipur", he said.

He further pointed out that Imphal, Ukhrul and Senapati town alone do not make up Manipur.

"Z Choro, the place of my residence is also a part of Sanaleibak Manipur", he asserted.

Kafungyui highlighted that Z Choro and neighbouring villages occupy a highly strategic position on the international border, and added that this region could connect India to major Southeast Asian economies like China, Thailand, Vietnam, and Singapore, serving as a vital trade route to boost Manipur's economy.

He said that Kuki militants are, at present, actively taxing commercial goods brought through these routes to amass large sums of money.

The headman cautioned that if the Naga villagers are driven out of these border villages, it could permanently alter the demographics and pave the way for the creation of a "Kuki Homeland" on Manipur's soil.

If Manipur should be saved, Nagas and Meiteis should shoulder collective responsibility and saving Manipur should include saving the villages of Z Choro, Wanglee and Namlee, Kafungyui said.

Merely shouting Nagas and Meiteis are brothers is not enough.

It;s high time Nagas and Meiteis work together.

If Nagas and Meiteis come together, protecting Manipur will not be difficult, he said.

Other villagers pointed out that there is a severe lack of healthcare, clean drinking water, and education infrastructure in these remote border pockets.

The villagers pointed out that during elections, they are forced to walk nearly 24 Kms to the nearest polling station in Kampat village to cast their votes.

They demanded immediate establishment of a polling station closer to their villages.

A senior Church leader from Wanglee village confirmed that on May 7, KNA-B militants completely burned down the local Wanglee market and the KNA-B militants included who earlier took refuge at Wanglee on account of the unrest in Myanmar.

He stated that the villagers are currently living in absolute terror, unable to sleep peacefully at night due to the proximity of heavy gunfire.

He added that the village remains completely deserted after dark, with only a small group of 10 to 20 youth keeping watch under extreme peril.

The church leader appealed to the State authorities to restore peace and ensure the safe rehabilitation of the displaced villagers.

Echoing the wishes of villagers, the Congress party has asked the State Government to deploy State forces in the border villages of Kaka, Z Choro, Wanglee and Namlee.

The MPCC team presented relief items like rice, dal, onion, potato etc and interacted with the villagers.

The MPCC team also included former Minister Dr Kh Ratankumar, Kh Devbratta, former MLA Md Amin Shah and general secretary (organisation) Amir Hussain.

They donated 200 bags of rice, 10 bags of dal (mussori), five bags of yellow peas (hawai mangal), and five bags of onion in addition to cooking oil and salt.

Victor Keishing appealed to the State Government to recruit youths of the border villages into the Village Defence Force and armed them to defend their villages.

Okram Surjakumar assured that the Congress party will exert pressure on the Government to address the security concerns and other issues of the border villages.