Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network
Imphal, Aug 17:
The newly formed United Peopes Front (UPF) today clarified to the news item filed by Mizoram correspondent of the Newmai News Network under the caption, "Zo armed groups come under one umbrella," saying that actually it had been the Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA), Kuki National Front (KNF-S), Hmar Peoples' Convention-Democratic (HPC-D), United Kuki Liberation Front Zomi Re-unification Organisation, Kuki Liberation Army and the Kuki National Front who had, on August 12, 2006 unanimously resolved to institute the United Peoples' Front (UPF).The clarification made by UPF general secretary ST Thangboi to NNN this morning and also their press release issued in Mizoram yesterday did not mention anything with regard to nomenclature such as Kuki, Paite and Hmar tribes nor the Zo kindred tribes as reported in today's news.
Thangboi had strongly objected to the sentence in today's news item which read as, "a new group called United Peoples' Front consisting of several militant groups from the Kuki, Paite and Hmar tribes of the Zo family has been formed in an effort to bring about a single entity of the Zo kindred tribes." He said that in their press-release yesterday in Aizawl with regard to the matter, they had never mentioned names of the tribes such as Kuki, Paite and Hmar tribes nor the Zo family/Zo kindred tribes as reported in today's news.
Meanwhile, the editor of the Newmai News Network on behalf of his Mizoram correspondent has expressed regret over the erroneous reports with regards to the UPF news item filed from Aizawl.