Zalengam : Kuki's deadly dream - a threat to Nation

Wahengbam Rorrkychand Singh *

Manipur is reeling under the ongoing violence for more than two months. Over 130 people have died and thousands were injured while around one lakh people have been displaced as an impact of the “pre-planned” attack on the Meitei community by radical armed Chin-Kuki (CHIKIM) militants.

With the passing of each day, the hidden agenda of the ongoing attack has become clear. The memoranda submitted by the World Kuki-Zo Intellectual Council (WKZIC) to the General Secretary of the United Nations, New York/Geneva on 29 June 2023 and Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu on 30, June 2023 seeking urgent intervention to their demand for Kuki State by carving out the hill areas from the State of Manipur, say something significant.

The body of Kuki-Zou requested the Prime Minister of Israel for his “personal intervention,” “To grant Kuki statehood under Article No.3 of the Indian Constitution for self-governance free from the control and discrimination in all aspects by the majority community.

“In case of any hesitancy from the part of Government of India for creation of Kuki State…..Your kind intervention is a must for declaration of Kuki Country as per, George Abraham Grierson 1904, (Linguistic Survey of India, Vol. III, Part III),
and in accordance with the ‘United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Paris Principles 1, 2, and 3 ,
by integrating all Kuki-Chin territories of Chin State (Myanmar/Burma), Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Bangladesh and Mizoram (India) and Kuki Hills in outer Manipur respectively,
to be merged with one of the more friendly country in Southeast Asia,”
demanded the memorandum submitted by the WKZIC to the Prime Minister of Israel.

The ongoing violence is an internal issue of the State (Manipur), however, the intention to submit a memorandum to the United Nations and the Prime Minister of a foreign Nation (Israel) is a deliberate attempt to escalate the internal issue while challenging the integrity and sovereignty of our Nation.

Armed militants of CHIKIM are in constant violent and barbaric attacks on Meitei civilians, who are residing at Kuki dominated areas and villages adjoining hill areas since day one of the violence. Various radical frontal organizations like Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum(ITLF), Kuki Students Organization (KSO), Zomi Students’ Federation (ZSF) and Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) Sadar Hills are spewing hatred and churning anti-national propaganda.

These radicalized civil bodies refuse to participate in the peace process initiated by both the Central and State Governments. “No peace before solution” is their stand, and instead of peace they have geared up for war to another level.

Manipur is not the only place where CHIKIM murdered hundreds of civilians in their effort for the reunification of Zomi (people of Zo/Zomi). Kuki’s war with Naga (1992), Paite (1997), Karbi (2009), Dimasa (2011) and with other indigenous communities of North Eastern States of India and other communities of Myanmar and Bangladesh revealed the war-mongering characteristics of Kuki.

Kuki in Manipur embraced Christianity and identified themselves as descendants of Joseph and Manasseh (fourteenth king of the Kingdom of Judah) in India.

Demand for the “Right to self-determination, Autonomy and Self-government” at the cost of India’s integrity is unacceptable. The ongoing violence in Manipur is just the tip of the iceberg while the hidden agenda is their cherished dream ofZalengam (land of freedom).

The same is reflected in the memoranda submitted to the United Nations and the Prime Minister of Israel.

The US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti, who considered the ongoing violence as an “internal” issue of Manipur, expressed his desire to “assist in any way if asked.” The interest of the US and such a special concern and love is not a surprise to many in the crisis-torn State of Manipur.

When a peace rally with armed militants turned violent on May 3, 2023 the apex bodies of CHIKIM took a sudden U-turn from their earlier demand for the protection of tribal rights to a separate administration.

Calculated attacks on civilians and scale of violence, the orchestrated drama of 10 Kuki MLAs, the overnight establishment of an IT team at the National capital and the deployment of armed cadres across the foothills of the State in a short period, filing series of cases at various Courts including Supreme Court of India just after the violence erupted on May 3, series of memoranda to national and international bodies suggest that the ongoing ethnic cleansing of Meitei (mostly Hindu) is a pre-meditated plan among the stakeholders.

A patriot never wages war against his country and could not see his country falling apart. Only refugees and wicked people could think of war against their host country, where they are taking temporary shelter and people, who are sharing food and shelter with them.