New Delhi: The Kuki Alliance for Nampi Awakening Movement (KANAM) has strongly condemned what it described as an attempt to silence independent reporting on the ongoing ethnic tensions in Manipur, while simultaneously demanding the immediate and unconditional release of 14 Kuki civilians allegedly being held in Senapati district.
In a sharply worded press statement issued yesterday, KANAM rejected statements made by Tangkhul Naga Long and others targeting journalist Mr. Tony Singsit, asserting that the veteran journalist has consistently reported on socio-political developments in Northeast India based on “facts from the ground.”
The organisation stated that personal attacks against Singsit were intended to divert attention away from the substance of his reporting. “Personal attacks against him, instead of addressing the substance of his reporting, only expose the weakness of their position,” the statement read.
KANAM further claimed that the truth surrounding the violence in Litan had been deliberately distorted. According to the organisation, the incident initially began as a drunken altercation involving individuals from the Kuki and Tangkhul communities but later escalated into a larger communal conflict due to the alleged actions of certain Tangkhul leaders and affiliated groups.
The statement accused these groups of mobilising narratives and politicising what it described as a localised dispute, ultimately transforming it into widespread ethnic unrest. KANAM argued that instead of containing tensions, “sections of Tangkhul leadership and affiliated elements” aggravated the situation and shaped public perception to shift blame.
A major focus of the statement was the alleged detention of 14 Kuki civilians in Senapati district, including three students. KANAM described the situation as “illegal custody” and equated it to hostage-taking, insisting that no organisation or community body possesses the authority to detain civilians.
The organisation alleged that while families of the detained individuals continue to appeal for their safe return, those responsible are attempting to conceal the reality through propaganda and public statements. “This is hostage-taking, plain and simple,” the statement asserted.
KANAM also warned that any harm caused to the detained civilians would place full responsibility on those allegedly holding them as well as individuals or groups supporting such actions. The organisation cautioned that the situation could further deteriorate if immediate action is not taken.
In its appeal to the authorities, KANAM urged the Government and security agencies to intervene without delay, warning that continued silence or inaction would only worsen tensions in the region.
The statement concluded with a call for justice and accountability, reiterating the organisation’s demand for the immediate and unconditional release of all detained Kuki civilians.
