Kamjong, Imphal | EKHON: The Naga Village Guard (NVG), Eastern Command, has firmly denied allegations connecting the Tangkhul Naga community to the reported attack on Molnoi village, a Kuki settlement inside Myanmar near the Indo-Myanmar border, on Tuesday afternoon.
In a statement issued through its Media Cell, the NVG said certain Kuki individuals on social media had accused members of the Tangkhul Naga community of being involved in the incident that reportedly took place around 3:30 pm on May 12. The organisation rejected the claims as “unfounded” and termed it as an attempt to malign the image of the Tangkhul Nagas.
According to the statement, the Tangkhul Naga community has maintained that it is focused on protecting its own land and people and has not interfered in the ongoing conflict in neighbouring Myanmar, which has witnessed prolonged unrest and armed confrontations in recent years.
The NVG further claimed that the incident at Molnoi, located about 2 km from Border Pillar No. 113 in Manipur’s Kamjong district, may have been linked to the internal conflict prevailing in Myanmar. The statement alleged that Molnoi is considered a base of the Kuki National Army-Burma (KNA-B), reportedly associated with the People’s Defence Force (PDF), which has been engaged in armed resistance against Myanmar’s military junta.
The organisation also expressed concern that the allegations against the Tangkhul Nagas could be used as a pretext for retaliatory attacks against Naga villages along the border.
“The Naga Village Guard, Eastern Command, therefore rejects the allegations and condemns attempts to drag the Tangkhul Naga community into the conflict,” the statement said.
