Zeliangrong Baudi, Manipur (ZB-M) to KNO : Nagas were the first hill settlers
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network
Tamenglong, December 05 2012:
The Zeliangrong Baudi, Manipur (ZB-M) has claimed today that historically the Nagas were the first settlers in the hills of Manipur and the other chiefs living in the four "Naga districts" had paid yearly cultivation tax to Naga villages.
"This would be illogical if the Kukis were the masters," the ZB-M reasoned.
The ZB said that when the Zeliangrong people came to their present habitat there were no other tribes, including the Kukis, or else there would have been conflicts with the earlier settlers.
"Our forefathers experienced inter-tribal (Kukis) conflict only in the 19th and the 20th century.
This means that the Kukis started coming to the hill areas only later.
"Kuki influx began after the Kukis were planted at the British frontiers in the Naga hills and the Naga areas of Nagaland and Manipur in 1850s by Col MC Cullock.
This fact is well accounted by RK Rajendro in his article, "Myanmar Amasung Manipur da leiba Kuki sing," published in a local daily newspaper dated 19th March, 2012 .
In the said article the writer had said, 'Yumhong toiba Kuki Chingmising asina Kanagumba leibak amada akaknaba Burma amasung Manipur da yum hongduna khundaruba khudunggi sajinnaba itihas semduna leibak tuda leijaramliba miyamdugi mathak thongnaba hekta hotnei.
Makhoibu changpham piriba leibak tuda autonomous state nattraga ningtamba homeland piyu hekta hai'...," pointed out the Zeliangrong body.
On the claims of the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) that the Zeliangrongs were the vassals of Tintong and Khotinthang of Laijang and Jampi, the ZB-M said the two chiefs and their men were well armed and used brute force against the Zeliangrongs.
So, some villages in order to avoid ugly consequences, remained silent or extended some nominal help to them during Kuki Rebellion (1917-19) .
It was a fleeting practise and not regular.
It was not subservience or vassalship, said ZB-M.The ZB-M also alleged that historically, the so called Kuki Rebellion was a State sponsored conflict, for the Kukis used the 600 muzzle-loading guns against the Nagas.
Those guns were issued by Churachand Maharaj.
Practically it was not rebellion, because instead of fighting against the established authority directly, they turned the guns against the Nagas of Manipur.
It is, therefore, inappropriate to call it rebellion nor was war of independence.
Practically, it was mere inter-tribal feud, the ZB-M further stated.
"Another claim of the KNO and the question of Kuki Achouba and Kuki Ahongba, it is a well known fact that the term Kuki is of recent appearance/origin.
How could it appear in 33 AD ? The two names are fictitious by any account.
Moreover, anything appears in Pooyas is not historical and scientific.
KNO's assertion is not historical.
In this regard, the Meiteis should take up the issue.
For it is something to do with coronation of Pakhangba" .
"Is Chothe Thangvai Pakhangba a historical man?," the ZB-M questioned.
"As to frequent reference of the Joupi incident by various Kuki organisations, which we have put into oblivion for being Christians, we are constrained to cite historical antecedents.
"Joupi village was infamous not only in recent time but it was so in the past too.
It was at that very village Tintong and Khotinthang and their men celebrated their victory by bringing hundreds of heads of Zeliangrong men and women.
They decorated their celebration by threading the heads together and placed them around their celebration ground.
They also made a minor boy (12 and half years ) stand in their midst and alternately fired by his shoulder.
He stood terrified each time by the firing.
He was finally eleminated.
So, Joupi incident holds true of the saying, 'History revisits or repeats itself.' If the Kukis continue Black Day we will also observe the like of Kuki Rebellion atrocities," the ZB-M asserted.
"Besides, time and again, various Kuki organisations always come out with this one sided propaganda of killing 900 Kukis during the Kuki-Naga ethnic clash in the 1990s.How about those triple 900 Nagas killed during the Kuki Rebellion of 1917-19 in the present four districts of the Nagas in Manipur by the so called Kuki freedom fighters.
And if the Kukis want justice from the Court or GOI for the so called crimes (or killing of 900 Kukis) by the Nagas, we also demand similar justice for Kuki atrocities committed against the Nagas by massacring more than 3000 Nagas during their rebellion of 1917-19 and the ethnic clash of 1990s," the ZB-M also stated.
In this regard, the Zeliangrong Baudi, Manipur urged all Kuki organisations particularly the KNO to release their statements based on historical and factual accounts and not to repeat any statements which are unbecoming of responsible organisation.
The ZB-M also alleged that historically, the so called Kuki Rebellion was a State sponsored conflict, for the Kukis used the 600 muzzle-loading guns against the Nagas.
Those guns were issued by Churachand Maharaj.
Practically it was not rebellion, because instead of fighting against the established authority directly, they turned the guns against the Nagas of Manipur.
It is, therefore, inappropriate to call it rebellion nor was war of independence.
Practically, it was mere inter-tribal feud, the ZB-M further stated.
"Another claim of the KNO and the question of Kuki Achouba and Kuki Ahongba, it is a well known fact that the term Kuki is of recent appearance/origin.
How could it appear in 33 AD ? The two names are fictitious by any account.
Moreover, anything appears in Pooyas is not historical and scientific.
KNO's assertion is not historical.
In this regard, the Meiteis should take up the issue.
For it is something to do with coronation of Pakhangba" .
"Is Chothe Thangvai Pakhangba a historical man?," the ZB-M questioned.
"As to frequent reference of the Joupi incident by various Kuki organisations, which we have put into oblivion for being Christians, we are constrained to cite historical antecedents.
"Joupi village was infamous not only in recent time but it was so in the past too.
It was at that very village Tintong and Khotinthang and their men celebrated their victory by bringing hundreds of heads of Zeliangrong men and women.
They decorated their celebration by threading the heads together and placed them around their celebration ground.
They also made a minor boy (12 and half years ) stand in their midst and alternately fired by his shoulder.
He stood terrified each time by the firing.
He was finally eleminated.
So, Joupi incident holds true of the saying, 'History revisits or repeats itself.' If the Kukis continue Black Day we will also observe the like of Kuki Rebellion atrocities," the ZB-M asserted.
"Besides, time and again, various Kuki organisations always come out with this one sided propaganda of killing 900 Kukis during the Kuki-Naga ethnic clash in the 1990s.How about those triple 900 Nagas killed during the Kuki Rebellion of 1917-19 in the present four districts of the Nagas in Manipur by the so called Kuki freedom fighters.
And if the Kukis want justice from the Court or GOI for the so called crimes (or killing of 900 Kukis) by the Nagas, we also demand similar justice for Kuki atrocities committed against the Nagas by massacring more than 3000 Nagas during their rebellion of 1917-19 and the ethnic clash of 1990s," the ZB-M also stated.
In this regard, the Zeliangrong Baudi, Manipur urged all Kuki organisations particularly the KNO to release their statements based on historical and factual accounts and not to repeat any statements which are unbecoming of responsible organisation.
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