New Delhi: Citing threats to ancestral land, the Foothills Naga Coordination Committee has declared an indefinite bandh on the movement of Kukis in the foothills of Naga-inhabited areas, according to a report by the Economic Times. 

The bandh will be effective from July 18. The Foothills Naga Coordination Committee (FNCC) said the bandh was a “peaceful but firm protest” against ‘threats to ancestral land, identity and security’ of the Naga people.

One of their main concerns that led to the move is the construction of the ‘German’ or ‘Tiger’ road in the area. 

The road, constructed privately during the Manipur conflict, connects Churachandpur to Kangpokpi. It is allegedly named after German H. Kuki, leader of the Kuki National Front-Military Council, a Manipur-based militant group. The road was open for public use in 2024.

The Economic Times report quoted B. Robin Kabui, the secretary of the FNCC, as saying that the proposed roads pass through Naga ancestral territories “without prior knowledge or consent of the Naga people”. The committee termed it a blatant disregard for traditional ownership rights.

A few days ago, the Manipur Naga Youth Organisation had also expressed “strong opposition” to the proposed construction of the Road, as per a report by the Imphal Times. 

The organisation had concerns regarding the naming of the road as it was associated with Kuki armed groups. It had also written to the Union government and relevant authorities to reconsider the project and its implications. The letter highlighted the issue of existing land disputes between the Naga and Kuki communities in sensitive foothill regions, such as the Mount Koubru foothills and the Loktak Project area, per the report.

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