KSDC bandh begins, affects normal life
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 14 2013: The first day of the Kuki State Demand Committee (KSDC) sponsored 48-hour general strike that began last midnight affected normal life in Kuki inhabited areas of the State.

However, no violent incident has been reported so far.

The KSDC has been imposing the strike demanding a separate Kuki State.

The strike was strictly enforced in Sadar Hills.

Strike supporters blocked movement along NH-2 at Taphou and Kangpokpi.

Normal life came to a standstill in Saikul area.

Strike enforcers blocked vehicular movements at Yaingangpokpi along Imphal-Ukhrul road and Keithelmanbi along NH-37 .

Our Moreh Correspondent adds: Normal business activities came to a halt at Indo-Myanmar town Moreh due to the 48-hour Kuki State Demand Committee sponsored agitation.

The bandh had a spill-over effect at neighbouring Namphalong Bazar of Myanmar as no vehicle moved to and from Moreh.

The turnout at Namphalong was minimal.

Bandh supporters blocking road

Vegetable vendors from Myanmar at Moreh temporarily sold their green groceries at Namphalong-Tamu roadside.

The UBI branch at Moreh remained closed.

NNN adds: The first day of the 48-hour Kuki State Demand Committee (KSDC) 'total bandh' in Manipur today was effective in Kuki dominated areas with no inter-state and inter-district transporters operated their services.

All the education institutes, shops and other activities were severely affected in Kuki dominated areas of Manipur.

The KSDC is demanding a separate statehood for the Kukis in Manipur.

Meanwhile, except for Churachandpur, there was no untoward incident reported anywhere in the state because of the bandh which began last midnight.

In Churachandpur, late this morning the bandh supporters were thwarted strongly by the people who opposed the KSDC bandh.

Reports said at Zenhang Lamka area in the Churachandpur district headquarters, when the bandh supporters came to enforce their bandh by asking the shopkeepers to close their shops, the people who opposed the bandh confronted them and there were skirmishes occurred but the police arrived and the situation was controlled.

Minutes later similar incident happened at a place called New Bazar (New Market) in the town but that too was controlled by the police.

Meanwhile, a separate report said one hawker who supplies newspapers to Churachandpur town was attacked by the bandh supporters at Kaparang village in Churachandpur district.

The report said that the scooter of the hawker was damaged in the incident.

The hawker has been identified as one Jadumani.

However, the bandh supporters later after knowing that he was a newspaper hawker, they compensated him by paying Rs 4000, the report said.

Meanwhile, the Kuki State Demand Committee (KSDC) said today that the Kukis lived in peace under the administration of their chiefs before the colonialists divided them and their lands in three countries viz.

India, Burma and Bangladesh.The KSDC wants to redrawn the artificial political boundaries appended with Manipur without the consent of the land owners-Kukis, it added.

"In persuade of the Kuki National Assembly's memorandum to the Prime Minister of India in 1960 for the creation of Kuki State, Kuki State Demand Committee(KSDC) demands to the Government for creation of Kuki State in present Manipur (Northern Kuki territories).

The KSDC movement is legitimate as it based on historical facts and Rights over Lands.

About 65 percent of the total area of Manipur is occupied/settled by Kukis.

The KSDC never demands the land of other but only the restoration of Kuki territories in the form of Kuki State in today Manipur Administered State," the KSDC reiterated.

The KSDC demand area for Kuki State comprises of Chandel, Churachandpur and Sadar Hills Districts and contiguous areas of Tamenglong and Ukhrul Districts where Kukis lived in peace today.

(Total Kuki State Area:12958 Sq.

Km.

and population of above six lakhs).

"The Kuki people never signed any agreement with the Government of India or Government of Manipur for Integration of Kuki Land or disintegration of other lands.

The KSDC and Kuki people is demanding the recognition of Kuki ancestral lands in the form of Kuki State under the constitution of India.

The suffering of the Kukis in several ways prompt the KSDC to initiate and renew the memorandum submitted to the First Prime Minister of India in 1960 demanding creation of Kuki State in present Manipur State.

KSDC and Kuki people will never cowed down under any circumstances till Kuki State is achieved," KSDC said today.

All volunteers have been stationed at all strategic points linking Kuki State demand areas with State capital and other States, the KSDC stated.