German-Tiger road row: Manipur Police ask Naga body to end blockade

Imphal, July 30: Manipur Police have appealed to a prominent Naga organisation to lift its ongoing shutdown and allow the safe passage of Kuki-Zo tribals through Naga-inhabited areas of the state.

A senior police official said a crucial meeting was held on Tuesday at the police headquarters between top officials and leaders of the Foothill Naga Coordination Committee (FNCC), where the group’s demands and grievances were thoroughly discussed.

“After detailed deliberations, the Police Department assured FNCC representatives that all genuine concerns would be examined with utmost seriousness. The Department reaffirmed its commitment to addressing these matters in a timely and appropriate manner,” the official stated.

In the interest of peace and public order, the government also appealed to the FNCC to lift the shutdown in the foothill regions of Naga-inhabited areas, stressing that the issues raised could be resolved amicably through continued dialogue and cooperation.

The FNCC had called for an indefinite shutdown from July 18, restricting the movement of Kuki-Zo tribals through Naga foothill areas.

The group described the protest as peaceful but firm, intended to safeguard the ancestral land, identity, and security of the Naga people.

In a statement, FNCC secretary B. Robin Kabui said the primary concern was the proposed construction of roads through Naga ancestral territory without prior consultation or consent. The committee termed it a blatant violation of traditional land rights.

In response, the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), the apex body of the Kuki-Zo tribal community, defended the road project, stating that the German-Tiger Road—passing through Naga-inhabited areas—was a humanitarian necessity initiated by Kuki-Zo civil society organisations.

Ginza Vualzong, KZC’s Secretary of Information and Publicity, said the ethnic violence that erupted on May 3, 2023, had rendered travel through Meitei-dominated regions unsafe and unviable for the Kuki-Zo community.

“As a result, the community had no choice but to revive and upgrade an old inter-village track—now known as the German-Tiger Road—to connect Churachandpur and Kangpokpi. Similarly, since Sugnu is no longer accessible, we are now solely dependent on the Singheu route to stay connected with Churachandpur, Chandel, and Tengnoupal, despite the lack of a viable bridge,” Vualzong said.

The KZC also condemned what it called “baseless and malicious accusations” by certain Meitei groups branding the German-Tiger and Singheu roads as "drug routes”.

It urged the Centre to reject such claims and instead prioritise the development of these routes as vital inter-district lifelines.

IANS