Manipur: Four Naga tribal councils announce non-cooperation with Zeliangrong United Front

The Joint Tribes Council Manipur (JTCM) and the councils of four Naga tribes—Inpui, Liangmai, Rongmei and Zeme—have announced a non-cooperation movement against the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF-J). The decision was reached after an emergency meeting held by the JTCM’s Working Committee, convened in Imphal on Thursday.

Decision follows an attack on Naga Village Guard

According to the JTCM, the trigger for the move was an attack on the Naga Village Guard (NVG) at Bitiang village in Manipur’s Noney district. The council said the incident took place on Wednesday (July 22) at around 7.20 am. It described the NVG as a group that safeguards the ancestral territories associated with the four tribes.

In its statement, the JTCM said the four tribal communities had, over time, accommodated ZUF-J despite what it called the organisation’s lack of consent. The council argued that ZUF-J continued with a course of aggression even after repeated appeals to armed groups, villages and community members to avoid violence.

Non-cooperation on political, social and logistical support

After extensive deliberations, the JTCM said the house resolved that ZUF-J would receive no political, social or logistical cooperation from the four communities going forward. The council also warned that intimidation of individuals, leaders, organisations or villages would be met with zero tolerance, and would bring a united response from members of all four tribal communities.

The JTCM further said it would not issue additional warnings to any group that carries out such activities within the territorial jurisdictions of Inpui, Liangmai, Rongmei and Zeme. It also reaffirmed support for Naga organisations or groups that, in its view, defend territorial integrity and safeguard the people of the four tribes. The council stated that the four tribal communities and the NVG would stand together in unity and solidarity.