Aizawl, August 1, 2025: The Hmar Women Association (HWA) has strongly condemned the July 31 arrest of two Hmar brothers- Thanglienlal Hmar and Lalrosang Hmar - from Moinathol village, Cachar District, Assam, by the Assam Police and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). In a press release issued today, the association decried the arrests as “arbitrary” and “discriminatory,” and demanded their immediate and unconditional release.
The detained individuals, both daily wage earners and family men with no criminal background, have been named as suspects in a high-profile investigation, reportedly linked to the November 2024 killings in Jiribam, Manipur. However, the HWA expressed serious concern over what it sees as a targeted move against the Hmar community.
“We are witnessing yet another episode of selective justice and systemic repression,” the statement read. The HWA emphasized that while the Kuki-Zomi-Hmar people—particularly women and girls—have suffered unspeakable acts of violence in the ongoing ethnic conflict, justice remains elusive.
“It is disturbing that while Hmar women have been paraded naked, molested, and murdered with impunity, the state has responded by arresting innocent Hmar men under unclear and seemingly prejudiced circumstances,” the association noted.
The HWA alleged that the NIA’s action followed judicial pressure from the Manipur High Court rather than a fair investigative process. “This represents a broader pattern of state-sanctioned injustice and silence around crimes committed against our community,” the release stated.
Calling on democratic institutions and civil society groups to stand with the Kuki-Zomi-Hmar people, the HWA demanded:
1. The immediate and unconditional release of Thanglienlal Hmar and Lalrosang Hmar.
2. An end to militarized and coercive tactics that disproportionately target one ethnic group.
3. A halt to arbitrary arrests and political repression.
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Reaffirming its commitment to truth, justice, and human dignity, the Hmar Women Association called for urgent attention to the plight of the Kuki-Zomi-Hmar people and reiterated the need for impartial justice amid ongoing ethnic tensions in Manipur.
