Saikul Block village chiefs' conference
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 17 2012: The people identified as Kuki have settled in the State since the time of Nongda Lairen Pakhanglakpa in 33 AD.

However, the nomenclature 'Kuki' has been used to identify the people at a later stage of History.

This was stated by Rev Renghang Chothe while delivering a speech on the concluding day of the first Saikul Block village chiefs' conference at Model English Higher Secondary School, Saikul today.

Rev Renghang further said Kuki chiefs were included in the list of 12 tribal chiefs that existed during the time of Nongda Lairen Pakhanglakpa.

He said the nomenclature 'Kuki' was coined during the reign of King Gambhir Singh in 1821.He added that the people who settled in Manipur prior to Seven Years Devastation were known as the Old Kuki while the people of the same group who came after that were identified as New Kuki.

Rev Renghang regretted that a group of people who are responsible for ceding Kohima, Kabow Valley and who are instrumental in merging Manipur into the Indian Union have termed the Kuki as 'nomadic' and 'foreigners' .

He called upon the Kuki chiefs to work in close tandem with Indigenous Kuki People's Forum and work for the welfare of the people.

The chiefs' conference that began from December 15 was jointly organised by Kuki Inpi, Saikul and KSO, Saikul with the theme Unity is Strength.

Various issues were deliberated during the conference that was attended by around 150 chiefs.

In the concluding day today, Dr Satkai Chongloi delivered a speech on Kuki: Past, Present and Future.

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