KIM Condemns ‘Barbaric’ Killing of Three Kuki-Zo Village Volunteers, Accuses Govt of Security Failure

The Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) on Saturday strongly condemned the alleged brutal killing of three Kuki-Zo village volunteers in Noney district, accusing cadres of the NSCN-IM and ZUF(K) of committing the crime and holding the government responsible for failing to protect vulnerable Kuki-Zo settlements.

The Kuki apex body expressed outrage, indignation and profound grief over what it described as a "barbaric" attack on the lives, dignity and survival of the Kuki-Zo people in their homeland.

KIM said the killing of the three village volunteers was a direct consequence of the government's "reckless refusal" to provide adequate security to vulnerable Kuki-Zo communities, leaving them exposed to persistent threats, armed intimidation and violence.

Despite what it described as clear and foreseeable dangers and repeated warnings, the absence of adequate state protection had compelled innocent civilians to take up the responsibility of safeguarding their homes and lives, the organisation alleged.

Condemning the alleged treatment of the deceased, KIM said the perpetrators had further desecrated the bodies by physically kicking them while laughing and mocking the victims.

Describing the conduct as an appalling display of barbarism and a gross violation of human dignity, KIM said such acts crossed every boundary of human decency and could neither be tolerated nor excused in a civilised society.

The organisation directly accused the authorities of complicity through deliberate negligence, alleging that the government's continued failure to rein in armed groups and protect Kuki-Zo settlements in Noney district and elsewhere had created a "lawless sanctuary for terror".

It further alleged that the government's continued tolerance of NSCN-IM's activities reinforced the perception that the outfit was functioning as a proxy instrument to advance vested political agendas at the cost of Kuki-Zo lives.

Holding the government fully accountable for the bloodshed on constitutional, legal and moral grounds, KIM demanded immediate and concrete action against those responsible.

Expressing unwavering solidarity with the bereaved families and the Kuki-Zo community, KIM said the ultimate sacrifice of the three village volunteers must not be reduced to mere statistics.

"Silence and inaction in the face of this barbarism are total complicity," the organisation asserted, calling for justice, accountability and immediate state intervention.