Implement the Manipur Hill Areas (Acquisition of Chiefs' Rights) Act 1967
- Abolish the hereditary chieftainship in the hills -

LB Singh *

Every aspect of the life of the people has been severely affected for more than two years by the present crisis. However, many political parties and Meitei organisations are concentrating their energy on reacting to various violent activities of the Kuki militants or the lapses of the Government. It would be prudent for the political parties and the CSOs to streamline the efforts of the people to policies that will have long-term implications.

The implementation of the Manipur Hill Areas (Acquisition of Chiefs' Rights Act, 1967 will have a far-reaching long-term impact on the quality of life of the people of Manipur and bring lasting peace to the State.

The institution of the hereditary chieftainship exists only among the New Kuki tribes in Manipur in the North East who migrated from the Chin Hills of Burma (Myanmar) and Lushai Hills (Mizoram) to Manipur during and after the reign of Maharaja Nara Singh (1844 to 1850). Naga and Old Kuki tribes don't practice hereditary chieftainship and their Chiefs don't claim the ownership of the village land.

The hereditary Kuki Chiefs claim the ownership of the village land, including the forest. He possesses executive, judicial, legislative, and military power. He is also the Commander-in-Chief of the village Army and is responsible for dealing with the militants. The Kuki Chiefs word is the law within his chiefdom, and his decision is final. Villagers who disobey are severely punished or expelled.

He can allot village land to outsiders, including foreigners, and make them settle in the village as long they please him. The hereditary Kuki Chiefs have supreme authority and may exercise authority against the wishes of the village council and the elders. In February 1948, the hereditary Chieftainship was abolished in the Chin Hills of Bunna (Myanmar).

Similarly, the Government of Assam passed the "Assam Lushai Hill District (Acquisition of Chief's Rights) Act 1954," and the institution of Hereditary Chieftainship was abolished in Lushai Hill District (now Mizoram). Manipur is the only place left in the North East with the institution of Hereditary Chieftainship.

The Legislative Assembly of Manipur passed the "Manipur (Hill Areas) Acquisition of Chief's Rights Act 1967" to abolish the institution of hereditary Chieftainship on 10 January 1967. The Act received the assent of the President of India on 14 June 1967. The Act was notified by Manipur Gazatte No. 61-E-50 dated 20 June 1967.

However, President Rule was imposed in Manipur on 25 October 1967 due to the resignation of the Speaker of the Manipur Assembly and there was a demonstration by about three hundred Kuld Chiefs against the implementation of the said Act.

Subsequently, all the copies of the Act vanished, and no copy was available with the Government of Manipur. At that time, Mr T Kipgen, a Kuki officer, was the Home Secretary and he subsequently became the Chief Secretary and served in Manipur till his transfer to Goa as Chief Secretary. The people of Manipur have forgotten about the said Act till they face the miseries of the present crisis.

Most Kuki organizations such as CoTU, 1TLF, Kuki Inpi, etc., are controlled by the hereditary Kuki Chiefs. The ordinary Kukis still do not own any land; they are poor and at the mercy of their Chief. They are highly vulnerable to exploitation by their Chiefs. The vulnerable Kuki groups are the source of workforce for the poppy growers and provide fertile ground for the recruitment of militants.

This vulnerable Kuki group is a potent farce available at the disposal of the hereditary Kuki Chiefs for deployment to carry out violent activities and prevent the restoration of peace and normalcy or to obstruct the free movement of people. The hereditary Kuki Chiefs have challenged the authority of the State Government to declare land in the hill district a 'Reserved/ Protected Forest,' and as per the Kuki tradition, the Kuki Chiefs are the owners of the land, including the forest.

Therefore, one of the root causes of the present crisis stems from different perceptions of forest land ownership. There is a conflict of interest between the institution of hereditary Kuki Chiefs and the State Government. Some hereditary Kuki Chiefs, Kuki militants, and vested interests are determined to keep the Meitei and Kuki physically separated to pursue their objectives of a Separate Administration.

They can deploy the ordinary Kukis living at the mercy of the autocratic hereditary Chiefs, stop the free movement of Meiteis in the Kuki-dominated areas, and prevent the Kukis from going to Imphal Valley. The concept of rulership, with 'privy purse' and special privileges is incompatible with the principles of democracy, equality, and social justice and it was abolished by the 26th Amendment to the Constitution of India in 1971.

Now, only the hereditary Kuki Chiefs in Manipur have the monopoly of supreme authority of military, executive, legislative, and legal power. Therefore, the Kuki Chiefs have acted aggressively with impunity towards the other ethnic groups living in the State.

The institution of hereditary chieftainship is unconstitutional, and they have used unconstitutional violent means to manipulate the demography of the State by separating the Kuki and Meitei populations to achieve their political objectives. They have become so bold in using unconstitutional means that they have defied the directives of the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, to ensure the free movement of people on all roads of the State from 08 March '25.

As per Article 371 — C, the executive power of the Union shall extend to the giving of directions to the State as to the administration of the said areas (Hill Areas). Therefore, the Union Government is also responsible to a certain extent for the miseries faced by the people due to the practice of unconstitutional hereditary chieftainship by the Kuki-Zo people in Manipur.

If the said Act implemented in time, it is most unlikely that the Naga-Kuki conflict of 1992-94, the Paite-Kuki clashes of 1997-98, and the present crisis would have ever happened. The unconstitutional unique supreme authority of hereditary Kuki Chiefs can be abolished by implementing the"Manipur (Hill Areas) Acquisition of Chief's Rights Act 1967."

The compensation to be paid to the hereditary Kuki Chiefs was worked out in 1967 and it could be paid in cash or kind as per the above Act. However, the amount ofcompensation would be required to be worked out again due to inflation and increased population.

As per Section 9 (1) of the Manipur Gazette No. 61-E-50 dated 20 June 1967, the scale of compensation shall be three tins of paddy for every household for the first one hundred households in the village and two tins of paddy for every additional household per year for ten years.

The land under the hereditary Kuki Chiefs can be temporarily kept under the management of the respective Village Council till the survey and distribution of the same to the ordinary Kukis.

Considering the present situation in Manipur, it will be highly appreciated if the political parties and the CSOs can come together and arrange a combined meeting to discuss the process for the implementation of the Manipur Hill Areas (Acquisition of Chiefs' Rights) Act 1967 and other important long term policy matters.

A memorandum may be submitted by the political parties and the CSOs to the Honourable Prime Minister through the Governor for the implementation of the "Manipur Hill Areas (Acquisition of Chiefs' Rights) Act 1967," and formally abolish the institution of hereditary Chieftainship in Manipur.

It will free the ordinary Kukis from exploitation and the Kuki Chiefs can no longer misuse them to achieve their vested interests. It will enable the free movement of people as granted by the Constitution of India and expedite the return of normalcy in the State. It will also bring lasting peace and improve the quality of life of the people of Manipur.