The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) has demanded an immediate and impartial investigation into the alleged attack on vehicles belonging to Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho and the Paomei Naga Tsiidoumai at Namdilong near Kanglatongbi on August 17.
Describing the incident as “deeply shameful”, the CoTU said the alleged attack raised concerns over the safety of elected representatives and the circumstances behind the violence.
The committee noted that Dikho had advocated peace, unity and reconciliation among Christian tribes and had twice led government delegations to Senapati to engage with the United Naga Council over the prolonged blockade of essential commodities.
The CoTU demanded the arrest of those involved and legal action against anyone found to have organised, encouraged or participated in the alleged attack.
It also questioned the Liangmei Naga Council’s clarification that the Paomei Naga Tsiidoumai vehicle was allegedly mistaken for a vehicle belonging to Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen. The committee asked how such a mistake could have occurred when the vehicle reportedly carried the PNTM identity.
The CoTU further questioned why the vehicle was allegedly identified as belonging to Kipgen when the Deputy Chief Minister reportedly involved in the incident was Dikho, a Mao Naga leader. It urged authorities to establish who circulated the alleged misinformation and whether the incident was isolated or part of a wider pattern of identity-based targeting.
The committee also rejected attempts to link Kipgen to the Langka incident without credible evidence and called for allegations to be examined through an investigation rather than political or ethnic speculation.
Referring to the burning of Lanchah, Kultuh and Phaimol villages in Kamjong district, the CoTU also sought an investigation into whether the incidents were planned or coordinated and whether they were linked to local MLA Leishiyo.
The committee said the government should establish who attacked the vehicles, who circulated the alleged misinformation, who organised or encouraged the incident and what the motive was. It urged authorities to ensure accountability and equal protection if the investigation found that the Paomei Naga Tsiidoumai and Mao identity had been deliberately targeted.
