KNO opposes oil exploration
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network

Imphal, January 22 2013: The Kuki National Organisation (KNO) has firmly opposed exploration of oil in Churachandpur and parts of Tamenglong districts of Manipur, claiming that they are the ancestral land of the Kuki people.

In a memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister of India today, KNO, one of the two umbrella organisations of the Kuki militant outfits claimed that Churachandpur and parts of Tamenglong districts are the integral part of Kuki ancestral lands.

Kuki National Organisation firmly resolves to oppose the current process of oil exploration in these regions.

Giving the reasons, the KNO said Kukis are a deprived people.

"In the state of Manipur, apart from economic and political exploitation, discrimination and outright deprivation at the hands of the Meitei people dominated state Government, our people have also suffered immense atrocities at the hands of National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak & Muivah) and the valley-based Meitei insurgent groups," the KNO alleged.

"Our cries for justice and intervention by the Centre as well as by the state Government have been categorically ignored.

Neither the Centre nor the state have initiated a single attempt to address the plight and needs of the Kuki people," the KNO memorandum signed by its president PS Haokip added.

It then said rather than give cognizance to the Kuki people's plight, a people who are victims of NSCN (IM)-led genocide from 1992-1997, the Government have given preference to the oppressor and engaged with them in political dialogue since 1997.This has provided Nagas an advantage and opportunity to air their grievances to Government, while categorically denying the same opportunity to Kukis to project theirs.

Hence, Kukis are a relegated tribe and an undue imbalance exists: Kukis do not figure in the national landscape as other major tribes of the Northeast prominently do, the KNO stated.

"KNO signed the 5th extension of suspension of Operations on August 31, 2012, which at the whim of the state government was only for three months rather than the usual annual extension since 2008.Upon signing the three-month extension, KNO declared in the national media as well as in the state media that if Government does not begin political dialogue before the existing extension, which expires on 22 November 2012, SoO would be automatically abrogated.

The centre and the state would then be solely held responsible for a breakdown of law and order in the Kuki hills, an unenviable condition which had been at bay during the seven years of SoO (2005-2012).Clearly, peace, a huge dividend of SoO, which should be sustained through dialogue to achieve an amicable political settlement for the Kukis is not desired by Government.

It is amply apparent that the centre and the state do not even want to hold talks with Kukis," the KNO rues.

KNO however said it appreciates government's commitment to begin political dialogue and so have given written assurance on November 13, 2012, prior to the ASEAN car rally passing through Moreh.

"However, till date Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) have not invited KNO to sign extension of Suspension of Operation (SoO).

More crucially, the government of India has not started dialogue with KNO.

Therefore, in the midst of such persistent and stark unequal treatment, KNO resolves strongly to not permit the Centre and state Governments to exploit our natural resources, especially in regard to oil in Churachandpur and parts of Tamenglong districts," the KNO further alleged.

KNO then said it cannot envisage its God-given natural resources to be exploited by authorities (especially the state Government, but not least the Central Government), which have never taken the time to assuage the Kuki people's hurts and outright deprivations.

It then said KNO will only consider oil exploration at Churachandpur and parts of Tamenglong districts to continue only when there is concrete deliberation from Government for the Kukis' political self-rule, which will ensure their direct participation and fair entitlement of benefits and proceeds for the Kukis.

"KNO is completely at the end of our tether.

Ignoring our rights and outright discrimination of our people by the Centre and the state will no longer be tolerated.

On the other hand, should justice and honourable treatment in political terms is duly exercised for Kukis by Government - which recognise and grant our Constitutional rights for self-determination in our ancestral lands - Government would be pleasantly surprised to find that Kukis are a people who will reciprocate and co-operate with honour dignity to strengthen the integrity of the country and develop its abundant resources available in Kuki territory, e.g.oil potential (reserves are stated to exceed that of Digboi in Assam), forest products, cross-border international trade at Moreh," it pointed out.

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