Questioning the legitimacy of Kuki history
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: November 20, 2023 -

IN addition to loss of precious human lives in terms of hundreds and displacement of thousands of families on both sides of the clash divide, the ethnic conflict between the Meitei/Meetei and Kuki-Chin communities which that has been going on for more than six and half months has undoubtedly caused untold miseries to people of all communities living in the tiny northeastern Indian state of Manipur, regardless of their stand and position in the conflict.

Yet, there has been no sign of any possible solution to the conflict, which has now turned into a serious humanitarian crisis.

With the double-engine government of the BJP which is in power both at the centre and in the state still groping in the dark, the two warring communities are continuing to bay for each other's blood.

Interestingly, with each passing day, the conflict is also unfolding many aspects which would have remained unknown to many people whose daily struggle for survival has got nothing to do with the dirty politics being played out by leaders of the two Warring groups.

A case in point is the recent announcement made by Education and Law Minister Thounaojam Basantakumar that the state government has directed the cessation of selling the text book titled 'History of Manipur', which was prescribed by Council of Higher Secondary School, Manipur for students of class XI.

The move has come after Maheshwar Thounaojam, who is the national secretary of RPI (A), drew attention to the "distorted contents" in the chapter on history of Kuki community in the text book, where it is mentioned that Kukis have been residing in Manipur since pre-historic times in complete contrast to available historical documents and writings by British officers who pointed out that Kukis came to Manipur in between 1830 to 1840.

If not for the complaint lodged by Maheshwar to the education minister, perhaps, most people including the teachers would have continued to feed wrong information to the students, who require accurate information for proper understanding of historical facts of the land.

This new revelation has come close behind the objection raised by Manipur Innovative Youth Organisation, Delhi (MAIYOND) to the inclusion of two controversial books as essential readings for students of MA history in Delhi University.

The first book, "The Anglo-Kuki War 1917-1919: Victory in Defeat, A Military Perspective" written by Retd. Col (Dr) Vijay Chenji and the second book, The Anglo- Kuki War 1917-1919: A Frontier Uprising Against Imperialism During the First World War edited jointly by Jangkhomang Guite and Thongkholal Haokip have already come under fire for claiming an armed Kuki-rebellion as a war fought with the colonial British from 1917 to 1991 without any factual basis or historical evidence.

Following complaints raised by The Federation of Haomee, Manipur Police had registered two separate cases against the authors of two books under different sections of IPC.

Contending that it was not a Kuki-rebellion but massacre of Nagas, Korns of the hills and Meeteis & Mahomedans (Muslims) of the valley, the complainants had also demanded that the two books be banned "for the ends of justice and peace in the country".

Moreover, the Ministry of Home Affairs had time and again clarified that no Anglo-Kuki war ever took place in Manipur in response to numerous RTI applications filed in the last few months, especially after the outbreak of the current conflict.

In the latest RTI application filed by social activist Sapamcha Jadumani seeking information on the list of freedom fighters (INA) who belonged to Kuki community and the places where the Anglo-Kuki war was fought between the British and the Kuki, the ministry had also made it clear that the information being sought is not available in its FFR Division (INA Section).

So, it is intriguing why the authority of Delhi University included the two controversial books as essential readings for students of MA History.

This begs the question, why nobody said anything about the concocted history of Kukis before the outbreak of present conflict.

Does this mean legitimacy of the history of Kukis in Manipur would have remained unquestioned had the present conflict not occurred?