Imphal, May 19: Nearly two weeks after suspected Myanmar-based militants launched coordinated attacks on villages along the Indo-Myanmar border in Manipur’s Kamjong district, residents say fear and uncertainty continue to shape daily life, with many alleging that adequate security arrangements are still absent.
The attacks reportedly took place in the early hours of May 7, when armed men allegedly crossed from Myanmar and targeted Tangkhul Naga-inhabited villages, including Z Choro, Wanglee and Namlee. Villagers alleged that the attackers fired indiscriminately, set houses on fire and looted properties.
Although local MLA Leishiyo Keishing and Manipur Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam later visited the affected areas, residents claimed no substantial security measures have been introduced since then. Several villagers have reportedly returned to their homes despite ongoing fears, saying they want to safeguard their land from what they described as “foreign invaders”.
Recalling the incident, Z Choro resident Konap Ansari said villagers were caught unprepared by the sudden attack.
“On May 7, we were never ready for that kind of invasion in our village. We were sleeping peacefully. We are good citizens of India. We don’t have any enmity with neighbouring villages from Burma,” he said.
Ansari alleged that armed men launched the assault from hill areas across the border, firing multiple rounds and using explosives. Residents, he said, fled towards nearby hills to escape the violence.
According to villagers, almost all 22 houses in Z Choro were burnt down, while the village church remained standing. However, they alleged that valuables inside the church were looted.
“During the war time, they came to our village. We provided temporary shelter, food and clothes. We never expected they would launch an attack like this,” Ansari said, referring to Kuki refugees who had previously taken shelter in the area.
Residents also alleged that the Assam Rifles failed to intervene despite maintaining a nearby camp. Villagers claimed security personnel did not respond while residents were escaping the attack.
Ansari said villagers had requested stronger security arrangements during the Home Minister’s visit, including the deployment of state forces in place of central forces, but alleged that no visible action has followed.
The village head of Namlee also claimed that militants associated with KNA-B were involved in the attack.
“All those militants surrounded my village and attacked and looted houses. We ran here and there for our lives. Why are they attacking innocent villagers? What is our fault? We don’t have any hatred towards them,” he said.
He further expressed dissatisfaction over the response of security agencies, alleging that despite the village being within a short distance of security camps, no immediate assistance reached residents during the attack.
“Our lives are still at risk. Yet, to protect our villages from being encroached upon, we returned and continue to live here,” he added.
Apart from security concerns, residents of the affected villages also highlighted longstanding infrastructure challenges in the remote border region, including poor roads and limited access to essential services.
