Naga group NSCN-IM calls Manipur violence an attack on Christian Kukis by Meitei armed group Arambai Tenggol

Arambai Tenggol denied the allegation.

Guwahati: Amid efforts to douse the flame of Meitei-Kuki conflicts in Manipur, Naga rebel group in ceasefire, NSCN-IM has given a new twist by calling it an attack on the Christian Kukis by Meitei armed group Arambai Tenggol.

"Violent extremism as followed by Arambai Tenggol is a threat to peace and tolerance. It is, therefore, natural that NSCN should take a stand to guard the interest and safety of the Christians in Manipur, given the fact that Arambai Tenggol bears a strong animosity towards the Christians, both in spirit and action," NSCN-IM said in a statement emailed to DH. The group, however, said that it stands for peaceful co-existence of all religious groups in Manipur.

The NSCN-IM called Arambai Tenggol a militant group, even as the Meitei armed group has not yet been declared a banned organisation by the government.

More than 200 people have been killed and over 60,000 others have been left homeless in the Meitei-Kuki conflicts since May last year. However, the Meitei organisations have maintained that it is not a fight against any religious group, but against the "illegal migrants" from neighbouring Myanmar. Meiteis, who live mainly in the Valley, are largely Hindus, while the minority Kuki-Zomi-Hmars are tribal Christians.

Rejecting NSCN-IM's charges, Arambai Tenggol, the armed group representing the Meitei community, asserted that it is not a conflict against any religion but is a fallout of aggression by the Kuki "refugees" against the indigenous Meiteis. "The NSCN-IM's characterisation of the conflict overlooks the complex realities on the ground and misrepresents the nature of aggression faced by the Meiteis, who are the indigenous people of Manipur," said Arambai Tenggol in a statement on Tuesday.

Arambai Tenggol said it was formed as an organisation to protect and preserve the culture and identity of the indigenous Meiteis but was "compelled to defend" the Meitei community against the "armed aggression by the Kuki refugees". "It is extremely unfortunate for the NSCN-IM to label Arambai Tenggol as a militant group." it said.

According to central security forces deployed in Manipur, Arambai Tenggol at present has more than 50,000 armed cadres and are engaged in conflict with the Kukis. They said that cadres of the Meitei armed group were involved in the snatching of the weapons from the security forces, particularly from Manipur police and Indian Reserve Battalions last year. Kuki groups have often claimed that Arambai Tenggol has been supported by Manipur police and the BJP government in the state.

Observers in Manipur believe that the war of words between the NSCN-IM and the Arambai Tenggol over the conflict must be nipped in the bud in order to prevent further escalation of the conflict. "NSCN-IM is not correct when they call it a fight against the Christians because many Christian Meiteis too were attacked by the Kukis. The Naga group should not be allowed to give it religious colour as that may disturb the efforts to douse the flame," said a journalist in Imphal, who did not wish to be named.

NSCN-IM is the biggest insurgent group in the Northeast and has been engaged in talks with the government since 1997. Apart from Nagaland, parts of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, the NSCN-IM is active in at least five Naga-dominated hill districts in Manipur.

Meanwhile, hundreds belonging to Hmar-Kuki communities in Kuki-dominated areas in Manipur and some parts of Assam staged a protest against the killing of three Hmar men by Assam police on July 16, in what police called an encounter in South Assam's Cachar district. They demanded an inquiry as the family members of the victims and several organisations called it a fake encounter.