The Central Working Committee (CWC), Tangkhul Naga Foothills’ Organization (TNFO), has demanded the immediate dismantling of the illegal bunker allegedly established by the Kuki Liberation Army (KLA) at the foothill of Lungter Hill in Sinakeithei, located barely 500 meters from the residential area of Sinakeithei Tangkhul village.
What was once a road opened in 2019 as an act of goodwill and humanitarian consideration by the people of Sinakeithei has now been turned into a corridor of fear, intimidation, and relentless provocation against the Tangkhul Naga community. The continued presence of armed cadres and the near-daily gunfire have completely shattered peace and normalcy, pushing innocent villagers into a state of constant terror, said a press release of CWC, TNFO.
It strongly condemned the actions of the Kuki Liberation Army (KLA), whose cadres—reportedly operating under the Suspension of Operations (SOO) agreement from T. Gamnom Camp (Lungtin Sub-Block) and Mt. Sinai Camp—have been openly violating the ground rules of the peace pact. Since March 15, 2026, repeated and unprovoked firing has been carried out, in straight violation of the ground rules of the agreement signed with the Government of India and the Government of Manipur, it said.
These reckless and provocative acts have directly endangered civilian lives. Villagers are unable to access their agricultural lands, retrieve their cattle, or carry out basic livelihood activities due to the constant threat of gunfire. The situation has reached an intolerable level, amounting to a grave humanitarian and security crisis, it said.
Despite prior intimation by the Village Authority of Sinakeithei Tangkhul Village to the 4th Mahar Regiment, no concrete action has been taken to remove the bunker. This continued inaction has only emboldened unlawful elements and deepened the sense of insecurity among the villagers, it said.
CWC and TNFO issued a stern and uncompromising demand to the Government of Manipur and the Central Government to immediately dismantle the said illegal bunker and restore safety in the area without further delay.
Failure to act promptly will be seen as gross negligence, and the CWC and TNFO made it clear that any untoward incident arising from this situation will rest solely on the authorities concerned. The safety, dignity, and fundamental rights of innocent civilians must not be compromised under any circumstances, it said.
Meanwhile, the Sinakeithel Village Authority has alleged a deteriorating security situation in Sinakeithel Village caused by the aggressive and unauthorized activities of Kuki militants currently under the Suspension of Operations (SOO) Pact.
According to the village authority, militants have brazenly constructed bunkers and makeshift camps within the jurisdiction of Sinakeithei village, gradually and systematically closing in on residential sectors, posing a direct threat to the safety of civilians. The Leplen-Tingpibung via Sinakeithei Road beneath the Lungter Mountain Range has been illegally occupied. Armed militants from T Gamnom Camp and Mt. Sinai Camp are manning checkpoints 24/7, restricting free movement.
It said that targeting not only the Naga locals, the offensive transgressions of the Kuki militants have reached a point where even an uninvolved party of Nepali cow-herders have come under gunfire from said bunkers. It said that the routine firing with the intent of causing psychological unrest among the local populace has also seen a spike in intensity, most remarkably on March 12, where armed Kuki militants fired automatic rifles, advancing nearly within the village’s residential areas, and on March 15, where the shattering sound of gunfire disrupted the weekly church service, leaving the churchgoers scuttling for safety.
It said that drone surveillance operations and regular patrolling conducted by the security forces stationed in Sinakeithei Village reported to have detected no bunkers in the areas where locals had implored them to scan. This only
