Open Letter to Hon'ble Chief Minister of Manipur
Ten points to ponder

October 19th 2019

Office of the
*KUKI INTELLECTUAL GROUP*
(KIG)
Ref No.01/19/KIG/Circular No.

*_SUBJECT:_ OPEN LETTER to Hon'ble Chief Minister of Manipur;* Reg
( *Ten points to ponder*)

To,

Dear N Biren Sir,

*1.* Divisive politics, so glaringly professed should have no place in a multi-cultured state like Manipur. That the TNL and other Manipur Nagas opposing the historic celebration is a no eye-brow raiser. Anyone with even superficial knowledge of Manipur Politics will know how the NSCN IM used all frontal Kacha Naga organisations to issue quit notices and eventually massacred thousand Kuki innocents. These same group of people had even protested a memorial service for the Kukis so massacred. Now, your surprise and apprehension on their raising concerns about the centenary commemoration by outrightly ordering the ban of the inscription, knowing very well that the reaction is expected, shows either you are immature to handle communal politics or you have ulterior motives on your own.

*2.* That KIM is invited after the order to ban the inscription was passed clearly indicates that your Govt. has taken the Kukis for granted. A series of meeting and consultation should have preceded the order.

*3.* How many non-biased academicians have you consulted before deciding on changing Anglo-Kuki war to Kuki Rebellion? Will you dare fall to a demand by certain community to question Khongjom war? It is a known fact that the Britishers have made all efforts to hide one of their most humiliating experience by recording the large scale war as just Kuki uprising. Be that as it may, your Government is expected to treat the Kukis much better than the British in acknowledging the historic event.

*4.* Your pompous display of gracing a particular community's festival on one day, and your calculated restrain from attending a centenary commemoration of a historic moment the next day, all in a span of two days shows your Govt.'s divisive politics in the Hills prompting the Kukis to feel unrepresented in your governance.

*5.* While law and order is a concern that all communities in the state should shoulder, your Govt. chose to ignore glaring threats from various organisations, allegedly fuelled by NSCN IM's ambitious plot of claiming all the Hills as their "ancestral land". Meanwhile, the Kukis are befooled by your Govt. to be torch-bearers of peace even as you open new domains for voice of dissent against the "inscription " to creep in. The Kuki CSO leaders were subjected to undue pressure and an 11th hour agreement was forged much to the dismay of the Kuki public.

*6.* The inscription says "in defense of our ancestral land", which is exactly the reason for the Kukis to fight the British during the Anglo Kuki war. Your Government's illogical order to eliminate inscriptions of "ancestral land" should be revoked at the earliest possible. Nowhere in the world has a state objected to its people using defence of ancestral land in commemoration of a memorial for freedom fighters.

*7.* It is indeed a shameful circumstance as to how a Government is requested to pay tribute to the Freedom fighters from its own state. Is it because Anglo Kuki war is a tribal movement? Being the head of a democratic Government in a state, you are at least expected not just to grace the commemoration of the event but to accord the recognition Anglo Kuki war is due. A state holiday, museum and Scholarships to name a few do not require a demand if only the Government is non-discriminatory in its governance.

*8.* All FIRs on Kuki CSO leaders, who are no criminals by any measure but law-abiding citizens paying tribute to the freedom fighters of Anglo Kuki war should be dropped at the earliest possible. Any design to target any individuals or organisations who are connected to the commemoration of Anglo-Kuki war will tantamount to waging war on the Kuki people and their rights and the same will be protested with all means.

*9.* An investigation should be conducted on alleged plot by NSCN IM to sabotage Anglo Kuki war commemoration programme and the open threat and hateful propaganda given by various organisations like TNL etc which incites the public with their blatant-lies filled PR that could fuel communal disharmony in the state and the connection between the two.

*10.* The Kukis have seen repeated provocations be it when they observe a memorial for the Thousand massacred Kukis during the NSCN IM Pogrom and now when Anglo-Kuki war centenary is commemorated. Restraint at the highest level has been maintained but the Government chose to land its whip on the Kukis thus setting a negative trend that 'the party with highest volume of voice of dissent' gets Government's sympathy. Your high authority is expected to rise above that level and resolve issue based on its fairness and justness.

The Manipur Govt. ever since the issuance of the highly controversial and discriminatory order has by the day lost the trust of the Kuki people and if the Manipur Govt. really represent its people, some reality checks have to be effected. The trust deficit between the Govt. and the Kuki people are too wide now and the 10 points are not exclusive issues but few basic concerns the Govt. under Biren could look into it to ensure the Government is for all the people of Manipur including the Kukis and not exclusive to particular communities, as is evident now.

Yours sincerely

Sd/- WISDOM KUKI
Secy General
Kuki Intellectual Group (KIG)

Sd/- S KIPGEN
Chairman
Kuki Intellectual Group (KIG)