Thousands of mourners from across the Kuki-Zo community gathered in Kangpokpi on Sunday to pay their final respects to Haolal Singsit, the 53-year-old farmer who was shot dead while working in his jhum field at Govajang village on July 11, as the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) launched a blistering attack on armed Tangkhul militant groups and questioned the state's security response.
An atmosphere of grief engulfed the Kangpokpi Community Hall, where the mortal remains of the slain farmer were kept after being brought from his native village. Men, women and youths gathered at the town's Community Hall to offer condolences, floral tributes, and stand in solidarity with the bereaved family.
Haolal Singsit was allegedly killed while working in his field alongside his wife, Nemneikim Singsit, who narrowly escaped after suspected NSCN-IM and ZUF-Kamson armed militants allegedly opened fire on the couple at Govajang village in Kangpokpi district.
Addressing the media, CoTU Spokesperson Ng. Lun Kipgen described the Govajang killing as "a testament to the nature of Naga supremacist ideology," alleging that the attack reflected the continued targeting of innocent Kuki-Zo civilians despite repeated appeals for peace and justice.
Kipgen further questioned what he termed the "claimed high moral ground" in the wake of the deaths of six individuals, asserting that the latest killing demonstrated that armed aggression against innocent civilians had remained unabated.
The CoTU spokesperson also said it was deeply ironic that, despite the progress reportedly made by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and other investigating agencies on July 10, the "relentless aggression" by the Naga armed groups had continued without interruption.
Recalling previous incidents, Kipgen noted that the Govajang attack was the second violent incident in the Twilang area along the IT Road within a month, following the fatal Lasan incident on June 9. He also pointed out that the latest killing occurred barely a day after the arrest of two suspected individuals in what he described as a "holy-grail" case, questioning the effectiveness of the existing security measures.
He further said that despite the commendable progress made by the NIA in investigating the killing of the six Nagas, the response of the Naga community had raised serious questions. He wondered whether it was right to continue fighting for justice for the six Naga civilians or to accept the action taken by the Government.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the prevailing situation, the CoTU leader said the "charade of justice" espoused by the Naga groups required serious introspection and maintained that neither the state government nor the security forces could absolve themselves of this "lunacy" while such attacks continued to claim innocent lives.
He said it was high time that the Government of India and the State Government contained these secessionist armed militias from tearing the entire region apart.
Kipgen also appealed to the Naga community, saying, "We have exercised utmost restraint and patience. However, your pursuit of Naga supremacist ideology and your actions aimed at influencing the Government while claiming the higher moral ground are neither justified nor acceptable. You are not seeking justice; rather, you are attempting to drive the entire Kuki-Zo community out of areas predominantly occupied by you. Such actions are unjustifiable and fundamentally wrong."
He further said it was for the Government of India to understand that just a day before the Govajang killing, a combing operation had been conducted to flush out anti-social elements. "How is it possible that these terrorists could still run amok at such a time of heightened tension?" he questioned.
Calling for immediate and decisive intervention, Kipgen urged the government to crack down on what he described as Tangkhul-led NSCN and ZUF armed groups and impose strict operational limits, warning that unless firm action was taken, the cycle of violence would continue.
Kipgen also sought the attention of Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand, urging him to stop appeasing one community over another by allowing their armed militants to run amok and destabilise the entire region.
Following the post-mortem conducted at the district hospital, the mortal remains of the slain Kuki-Zo farmer were brought back to the Community Hall for the final tribute before being taken to his native Govajang village for the funeral.
The condolence programme at Kangpokpi concluded amid prayers, tears and renewed calls for justice, with mourners asserting that the killing of Haolal Singsit had once again underscored the fragile security situation confronting civilians in Manipur's conflict-affected hill districts
The Hills Journal
K. Salbung, Churachandpur
Manipur-795128
