Kuki bodies mourn Niketu Iralu, Dr Vikethonyii Kesiezie
Source: The Sangai Express

Kangpokpi, August 19 2026: The Kuki community in Manipur has mourned the passing of noted peace advocate Niketu Iralu and physician Dr Vikethonyii Kesiezie, remembering both for their contributions to peace, reconciliation, healthcare and humanitarian service.

In separate condolence messages, the Kuki Inpi Sadar Hills (KISH) and Chingdai Area Core Committee (CACCO) described the deaths as significant losses whose impact would be felt beyond their immediate families and communities.

The KISH mourned Iralu, whom it described as the "Grand Old Man of Northeast India" and a respected elder and moral voice of the region.

It said Iralu had devoted over six decades to healing historical wounds, bridging ethnic divides and pursuing reconciliation through dialogue.

Remembering his role during periods of intense regional turmoil, the Kuki body said Iralu never viewed peace through a narrow or partisan lens but regarded the Northeast as a shared home whose stability depended on the wellbeing of all communities.

It particularly recalled his efforts to prevent further escalation during the Kuki-Naga tensions in Manipur and said his calm voice of reason had served as a critical buffer.

His warning against Christians turning against one another and his call for faith to become a foundation for grace and forgiveness, rather than division and violence, reflected the moral courage and compassion that marked his public life, it said.

The KISH while mourning the untimely passing of Dr Vikethonyii Kesiezie, founder, proprietor and Managing Director of Oking Hospital and Research Clinic, Kohima, remembered him as a physician whose compassion rose above the bitter lines of ethnicity, conflict and division.

In a deeply emotional condolence message, the apex body said Dr Kesiezie was "more than a physician" and described him as a healer in the truest sense, whose humanity knew no boundaries.

Meanwhile, the Chingdai Area Core Committee (CACCO) expressed profound grief over the death of Dr Vikethonyii Kesiezie, proprietor of Oking Hospital and Research Clinic, Kohima.

Describing him as "more than a healer", the committee said Dr Kesiezie had been a beacon of compassion, kindness and humanity whose selfless service and dedication had brought hope, comfort and healing to countless people.

The Kuki Inpi Sadar Hills and CACCO extended condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for strength and comfort for all those touched by the lives of the departed.

May their legacies of peace, compassion and service endure long after their passing.

Comment