KIM's involvement in dialogue process is a must

Elder T. Haokip *

Kuki National Front (KNF) arms deposition to GOI under SOO on Sept 15 2010 :: Pix - Leivon Jimmy Lamkang

The critical issues confronting the Kuki People are quite peculiar and distinct from issues confronting other people. It is not appropriate at this moment to forget the past.KIM as the apex body of Kukis is duty bound to act as an observer, preserver and protector of the past history in line with what their forefathers did for the whole of North East India.

The so called Kukis, who once occupied an envious position in the history of North East India because of their peculiar and unique cultural heritage which positioned their forefathers to confront the might of the then British Empire when the latter had intruded into the independent Kuki country 100 years ago. The division of the land they once defended into three countries - India, Burma and Bangladesh by the British before leaving India could be one great setback for future Kuki polity. Doing a little bit of analysis would reveal that the Kuki polity has been characterized by good governance.

The chief and his cabinet maintained proper administrative systems – maintaining justice, ensuring food security to all its villagers by allotting of jhum land to all based on one's family size - thereby maintaining equality and dignity of all.Their social, economic and political system was founded on three principles.
1) Peaceful Co-existence,
2) Equality of all human beings
3) Justice for all.

Any curious mind may go to just two nearest Kuki inhabited areas even today –Moreh and Churachandpur to conirm that the Kukis, Meiteis and Nagas live in peace & harmony. Late Rev.Dr. I. Ben Wati, a prominent Church leader from Nagaland and founder President E F I, once made a statement during KCA Silver Jubilee Celebration - 1973 at Churachandpur as follows.

"During my childhood days I used to stop crying instantly when my mom reminded me that the Kukis are coming. This episode dates back to early 1920s, which is so simple and yet pregnant with important meanings. Because of defending their land against the British Intruders the Kukis had created one unique history. In place of recognition of such sacrificial acts in defending the land we all occupy today, they were made to suffer for no fault of their own. Submission of more than 60 memorandas to India's top leadership seeking immediate redressal of the Kuki problems through creation of Kuki State right from the year 1960 were deliberately ignored.

Inauguration of Sadar Hills District as a revenue district has been left out in the lurch and kept pending for the past 30 years or more just because it happened to be a Kuki dominated area. Indian leaders preferred to remain silent over the issue of UNC's Ethnic cleansing campaign (1992-97) which had resulted in the loss of about 1000 precious souls and uproot of 360 villages at the hands of IM's cadres. In spite of adequate constitutional provisions for the protection and development of tribal areas in the form of Sixth Schedule enshrined in the constitution, GOM intentionally shut up the door.

Precisely nothing concrete was done to protect or save Kukis when their lives and properties were in danger in Manipur, NC Hills & Karbi Areas of Assam, in Tripura and in Nagaland. Why the world's largest Democratic Country should stoop so low to cheat the KSDC which simply asked for a political Dialoque with KNO.

GoI owes an explanation as to why Dialogue has been denied to Kuki Militants under SoO Pact for the last eight years while apparently showing its willingness to roll out a red carpet welcome to NSCN (IM) with no tangible results in 15 years' time. This grim situation calls for proper assessment of the ground reality.

The political wisdom displayed & initiated by Major General Shri AK Chowdhuri during the then Defence Minister Shri Pranab Mukherji's visit to the Headquarters of the 57th Mountain Division Leimakhong some 8 years ago for a SoO pact to be experimented with Kuki Militants; which also has brought about a comparatively peacefull atmosphere in all Kuki Areas of Manipur in particular. This is too a significant acheivement deserving whole hearted and sincere further nurturing and consolidation of the government of India.

Though accepting defeat the Kukis didn't surrender to the British Crown. Because their country was merged with India, Burma and Bangladesh the Kukis seemed more inclined to have accepted their new political environments with the hope that their life, their land, their culture and identity would find due protection under law of the land.

Critical observers are made to feel that GOI's one sided approach to the vexed land issues in Manipur involving Metei-Kuki-Naga is an indication of lack of seriousness on the part of GoI in finding one lasting solution and this necessitates the need for Naga & Meitei brethren to do a kind of sincere self - introspection to find out the reason why people in authority in their apparent attempt to find solution to Manipur's conflict situation had deliberately sidelined the Kuki people so far.

The Kuki problem: loss of 1000 souls and 360 villages in the aftermath of UNC's Ethnic Cleansing campaigned has been an issue known all over the world which no authority can ignore any longer. At this juncture, trying to forget the bitter past, perhaps in the spirit of GIVE & TAKE principle, KNO's Demand map shows only Churachandpur, Chandel and Sadar Hills.

This is an opportunity which should have been seized by GOI as a base point to take the peace process further to its logical conclusion. Further inept handling of the issue would strengthen KSDC's resolve to raise the issue of Quit Kuki land movement and to go for a Plebicite.

o In seeking political settlement for Nagas the need to initiate rounds of discussions with various stake holders- the KSDC, KNO/UPF should not be undermined any longer.

o Leaving enough space for NSCN (IM) to play havoc in Kuki inhabited areas in Ukhrul, Senapati and Tamenglong, Valley based militants had encroached upon Kuki territory to kill and maimed for life about 40 innocent Kukis through planting of landmines in chandel areas and uncovered the nakedness of Kuki girls in in their own territory whereas GoM deliberately slumbered over such burning issues.

o Had GoI heeded to the pleadings of the Kuki National Assembly's memorandum of 1960 which pleaded for creation of Kuki state, the terrible Kuki problems could have been avoided. APHLC met (L) P J Nehru in 1960 in connection with the formation of Meghalaya state which finally was fulfilled following the 22nd constitution amendment on 24 December 1969 by passing of Assam Reorganization (Meghalaya Bill- a state within a state) without shedding of one drop of blood.

o The discrimination meted out to the Kuki people at the backdrop of so much of their politically significant contributions to India's independent movement and Manipur's territorial integrity is a glaring example of gross Human Rights violation and an ugly case of breaching accepted social principles of the present generation.

o Creation of a separate Kuki state through Constitutional amendment seems to be the only option to genuinely address the Kuki Problem at this juncture.

Let good sense prevail.