FoH petitions NCST opposing separate administration
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, August 02 2024:
Federation of Hao-mee (FoH) has submitted a memorandum to Antar Singh Arva, chairperson of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST), urging the Commission to reject an appeal made by one Paominlen Haokip under the Committee on Protection of Tribal Areas Manipur (Kuki Hills) .
The appeal, which seeks the expedited creation of a separate tribal (Kuki Hills) state or union territory with its own legislature, has been strongly opposed by the FoH, which argues that the demand is based on false historical claims and could lead to the fragmentation of Manipur.
In the memorandum, FoH reposed trust in the NCST chairperson and requested him to reject Paominlen Haokip's petition stating that the appeal relies on misleading and historically inaccurate information.
The memorandum referred to several points which FoH claims are unfounded, including references to the "Scheduled boundary" of areas like Chasad, Mombi Hills, Jampi, Haokip Re served, Manlun Principality, Guite Principality, and Singson Principality, which Paominlen claims belong to Kuki chiefs and their tribes.
FoH countered the same by stating that Kukis only settled in Manipur around the 1830s-40s, citing Sir James Johnston's book "Manipur and Naga Hills" (1896) as evidence.
The FoH memorandum further claimed that Kukis had no principalities and were allowed to settle in Manipur by the Meetei king on the condition that they pay house tax.
The document also noted that following the merger of Manipur into India in 1950, the Permit System or Pass System (similar to the Inner Line Permit system) was abolished, which led to an influx of outsiders, particularly Kukis, into Manipur.
FoH contended that the Kuki population has since grown significantly and that their current status as Scheduled Tribes is no longer applicable, as they are not considered aboriginals or "Janajati" of Manipur.
The memorandum also disputed Paominlen Haokip's characterisation of certain tribes, such as the Kom, Anal, Chiru, Koireng, Chothe, Purum, Hiroi, and Lamgang (Lamkang), as Kuki groups with FoH asserting that these tribes are actually aboriginal tribes, referred to as the "Hou" or "Hao Mee" groups, with a history spanning over 3,000 years.
Additionally, the memorandum urged NCST and the Government of India to provide a clear statement regarding the territorial boundaries of Manipur at the time of its merger with India.
FoH also criticised Paominlen Haokip's claim that Manipur's territory was only 700 square miles, calling it an insult not only to the people of Manipur but also to the Government of India.
FoH strongly opposed the idea of a "Kukiland" or "Kuki Hills," arguing that these terms have no basis in Manipur's historical records.
The memorandum also challenges Paominlen Haokip's assertion that the Kuki and Chin peoples are synonymous, describing this as a controversial and inaccurate claim.
FoH further disputes the existence of a "Khongjai hill" to the south of Imphal, calling it a baseless assertion with no historical evidence.
The memorandum argued that such claims by Kuki groups are part of a broader strategy to manipulate Manipur's history for their own benefit.
FoH concluded by stating that the demand for a separate Kuki administration would lead to the division of Manipur's land and indigenous peoples.
Dismissing documents and records produced by Kuki organisations or individuals in support of their demands as neither original nor legitimate, the Federation urged the Government of India not to support the demand for a "Kukiland" territory, nor to engage in tripartite talks with Kuki representatives or the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki militants.
The memorandum appealed to the NCST chairperson to seek reliable reports and suggestions from the Manipur government before making any decisions on the matter.
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