Office of the
ZOMI COUNCIL
Headquarters: Lamka
PRESS STATEMENT
Lamka, September 2, 2025
NH-2 REOPENING SERVES THE MAJORITARIAN MEITEI COMMUNITY
NOT THE MARGINALIZED
The reopening of NH-2 (Dimapur—lmphal road) is not for us. It is a move designed solely to serve the majoritarian Meitei community, while the people Of Churachandpur (Lamka) continue to suffer shortages, hunger and unending sacrifices. In this context, it would be nothing short of betrayal for the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) or any other body to sign an MoU that would not safeguard the interests of our people. We can not endorse such idea of agreement as it would abandon the very community we represent.
For months, families here have queued endlessly for gas cylinders that never arrive, stretched meagre supplies of rice to feed their children and carried the heavy burden of sacrifice day after day. And yet, while we suffer, others reap the benefits without sharing the cost. The truth is NH-2 remains choked by illegal taxation/extortion, manned by anti-social elements both inside Nagaland and along the highway upto Imphal. Unless the government dismantles these gang of licensed extortionists, reopening the highway is promotion of exploitation. Ever since NH-2 was closed or disturbed, some significant benefits accrued for Ccpur district. The 20% of FCI supplies usually siphoned off by valley anti-social elements were saved as transportation of PDS items came in via Mizoram. It benefitted more needy people. To reopen the road now, without uprooting this corrupt system, will only reward the unscrupulous players.
The idea of "free movement" is neither desirable nor realistic. Since May 3, 2023, our people have endured relentless human rights violations—killings, arson, displacement and unspeakable trauma. The authority who refused to provide accessibility to a single airport would never be ensuring free movement to the needy, whatever gullible they might be. To speak of free movement without first addressing multiple atrocities is deprivation of human rights to thousands of innocent victims. There can neither be genuine peace nor accountability where there is no justice and trust.
Equally misguided is the call for a ceasefire. A ceasefire assumes two warring parties but the hard truth is we are not the aggressors. We did not march into others' homestead but only defended our own. We did not set fire to their villages; we shielded our children from flames. To demand a ceasefire from the victims while ignoring the crimes of the aggressors and their anti-social collaborators is not neutrality—it is glaring injustice.
At this critical juncture, the KZC must stop indulging in activities that do not serve the people. They must be reminded that the so-called VIP treatment they enjoyed is undue but an award for being puppets of the government—a reward for serving against their own community. Such indulgence is not leadership; it is betrayal.
The people of Churachandpur speak with one voice and we will not remain silent in the face of exploitation and duplicity. We demand immediate and honest action to dismantle every illegal tax point maintained by anti-social elements along NH-2, guarantee fair and transparent distribution of supplies and engage only with representatives who carry the true mandate of our people. Anything less is partners in betrayal. Our sacrifices are not to be traded off by some dissident self seeking nincompoops adept at falsification. Our voices cannot be muffled. And there is a few more time left for them to see reason.
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