Committee to raise Kuki territorial council
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, February 26 2011:
A body called Kuki (Khulmi) Development Council Demand Committee has been set up with the sole objective of demanding a territorial council of the Kukis like the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) for Bodos in Assam.
The committee was formed in a meeting held today at the house of chief of Molnoi village, Pallel in which chiefs of Kuki villages in Sardar Hills, Churachandpur and Chandel districts attended.
Yanglet Haokip was elected as chairman of the committee.
Yanglet Haokip asserted that the committee will work to neutralise the differences of the demands of the Kuki based UG groups.
He said that some UGs are demanding a Kuki state while some others demand a Kuki homeland or a Zomi autonomous council.
He said, with signing of a Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement with the Central and state government under the Constitution of the country it was agreed not to break the territorial integrity of Manipur.
This has created a confusion among the Kuki people, and in order to solve the confusion, the new committee has decided to demand a territorial council.
Yanglet clarified that the committee has not been set up to stand in the way of any Kuki UGs but has been set up after considering that demanding a territorial council will be a right step.
Saying that the Committee on Friendship, Peace and Development has already raised the matter to the CM and that they had even submitted memoranda to the AICC president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister, Dr Manmohon Singh in 2010, he hinted that the committee will meet the CM in the near future to remind him of the matter.
They will request the CM to discuss the matter in the Assembly.