Makhan-Kanglatongbi Naga Forum backs FNCC’s indefinite bandh against Kuki movement in Naga areas

The Makhan-Kanglatongbi Naga Forum (MKNF) has extended its full support to the indefinite bandh called by the Foothills Naga Coordinating Committee (FNCC) in protest against what it described as the aggressive and unauthorized movement of the Kuki community in Naga-inhabited areas.
In a public statement, the MKNF reportedly endorsed the FNCC’s call for an indefinite bandh, asserting that the three demands put forth by FNCC reflect the collective voice and legitimate concerns of the Indigenous Naga people. The forum expressed solidarity with the FNCC’s objectives and claimed that the movement was necessary to safeguard Naga ancestral lands and identity.
The forum was said to have condemned what it termed as serious threats to Naga territorial integrity. Among the issues highlighted was the proposed “Tiger Road” project, which MKNF believed to be a covert attempt to alter the territorial identity of the region. It also strongly opposed the alleged illegal establishment of Suspension of Operation (SoO) camps by Kuki militants within Naga areas, as well as the widespread cultivation of poppy, which it argued endangered the social and environmental balance of indigenous lands.
The MKNF reportedly urged the Government of India to take immediate steps to dismantle all illegal SoO camps and militant training centres located within Naga ancestral territory. It further called for the prevention of any further encroachments and renaming of roads or landmarks in Naga areas without proper public and indigenous consultation. Of particular concern, the forum warned against the establishment of new SoO camps along the proposed Haflong-Imphal National Highways, stating that such actions could be interpreted as deliberate provocations with the potential to incite future conflict.
While reaffirming its commitment to peace, justice, and divine guidance, the MKNF made it clear that any attempt to manipulate or expand territorial claims under the guise of peacebuilding would be strongly opposed.
The forum’s stance adds to the growing tension in the region, as multiple Naga civil bodies continue to express concern over the changing demographic and territorial dynamics in areas they consider ancestral and historically significant.