Cancel Tiger Reserve propose by Karbi Anglong Council
in the land of Indigenous tribal Kuki People

Guwahati, 18th September 2012

A
MEMORANDUM SUBMITTED
To His Excellency
The Governor of Assam
Raj Bhawan, Guwahati
GOVERNMENT OF ASSAM

Through The Deputy commissioner,Kamrup Metro,Guwahati,
FOR
CANCELLATION OF TIGER RESERVE IN THE LAND OF INDIGENOUS TRIBAL KUKI PEOPLE PROPOSE BY THE KARBI ANGLONG AUTONOMOUS COUNCIL.

Submitted by -

1.THE KUKI NATIONAL ASSEMBLY(KNA),KARBI ANGLONG,ASSAM.
H.O- Kuki Colony, Manja, P.O- Manja, PS- Manja, PIN.NO.782461
KARBI ANGLONG, ASSAM.

ON BEHALF OF

THE MARGINALISED INDIGENOUS TRIBAL KUKI PEOPLE UNDER THE
ADMINISTRATIVE SET UP OF THE KARBI ANGLONG AUTONOMOUS COUNCIL.

To

Shri JB.Patniak
His EXCELLENCY,
GOVERNOR OF ASSAM,
Raj Bhawan – Guwahati.

Through the Deputy Commissioner
Kamrup Metro, Guwahati, Assam

Sub: Request to cancel Tiger Reserve propose by Karbi Anglong Council in the land of Indigenous tribal Kuki People.

Your Excellency Sir,

In the subject matter mentioned above, We, the undersignatories on behalf of the oppressed indigenous tribal Kuki people of Karbi Anglong Autonomous district of Assam, most humbly and respectfully sought to draw your kind attention on the following few lines for favour of your kind sympathetic action at the earliest. We also would like to express our heartfelt thanks to avail this opportunity to extend our good wishes and pray for your long life.

That Sir, we have learnt from a reliable and authentic sources that an initiative steps has been taken by the honorable Minister of Forest,Government of Assam on the behest of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council to set up “TIGER RESERVE “ in the land of the indigenous tribal Kuki People.The proposed land mentioned and shown in the Map like Patradisa, Silveta, Longnit, Khumbamon, Singhason and Bokajan areas are KUKIGAM(Kuki Inhabited Areas),the habitat of the Indigenous tribal Kuki people and generated Agriculture and allied farming for their livelihood since time immemorial.

Your Excellency Sir, We feel it is most cruel,inhuman and agonizing that our traditional land is to be converted into Tiger Reserve which is very much shameful that animal is more important than a citizen like the Kukis. We know that Tiger is a national animal which need to be protected but Kukis are Indian National who had contributed their maximum lots among the tribal people who fought the Britishers in India for independence.It is painful to recall the historical facts of illegal,injustice,degrading and a policy of suppression adopted on the Kukis by the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council wherein in 1964, the District Council tried to carried out LAND COUP by way of numbering all the trees in the entire Kukigam(Kuki inhabited areas) to uproot the indigenous tribal Kuki inhabitants from their land.

Again, in ‘70s (Seventies),some parts of Kukigam were converted into reserved forest without our knowledge in the name of “KHUMBAMON” and started suppression and harrasement on the innocent Kukis by resorting to illegal operation by the District Council authorities from 1979 in infringement upon the legal and fundamental rights of the Kuki tribes in the name of evicting Forest encroachers with the help of the Assam Police. Besides these, We have been denied our due shares as a citizen and till today the indigenous tribal Kuki people live without the basic amenities and modern development facililies from the Government and survive by way of traditional method of cultivation. Strictly speaking, the Kukis are not Forest encroacher but Forest Deptt. are the real encroacher of the Kukigam .In this connection,we approached the Guwahati High Court for fair play and humanism and justice is yet to be deliver to the Kukis by the highest Court of our land.

Your Excellency Sir, it is a fact that the recent move of the KAAC authority’s proposed Tiger Reserve are the core areas permanently inhabited by the indigenous tribal Kuki people from time immemorial. Presently there are 115and odd Kuki Villages in and around the proposed areas which are in compact and contiguous position and is a threat to the very existence of hundred and thousands of the indigenous tribal Kuki people whose present and future generation is at stake. If the said Tiger project come into rality,about 90000 to 100,000 thousand Kuki people including indigenous tribal like Karbis and the Rengmas are bound to leave their agriculture and allied farming and are bound to starve and as a result, at-least 60- 70 per cent School-going children have to leave their studies and their future are bound to be doomed. As such, we request your Excellency to kindly come to our rescue by intervening the matter with the concerned authorities and made to declare publicly as CANCELLED.

Moreover, these areas falls within the region of the political demand areas of the Kuki Civil Societies for creation of Kukigam Autonomous Region and Kukigam Autonomous Regional Council under Sub-para (2) of Para (2) of the Sixth Scheduled of the Constitution of India for the protection and safeguard of the rights and interest of the most neglected and marginalized Kuki People who are suppressed in every way.The successive KAAC Authority are yet to implement the basic and barest developmental schemes. All the above mentioned policy of the KAAC is nothing but a ploy to uproot the Kukis of Karbi Anglong from their ancestral land.Further,the KAAC did not even feel to take the indigenous Kukis into confidence. Therefore,we earnestly request your Excellency to kindly intervene on the matter to set aside this project as this project is a KILLING PROJECT.

Your Excellency Sir, It is most painful and crystal clear that this move of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council is nothing but a political design of ‘ethnic cleansing’ and a direct plan to unsettle thousands of indigenous tribal Kuki people and other ethnic tribal like Karbi and the Rengma from their ancestral- land. It is also an infringement of the legal and fundamental rights of the indigenous Tribal Kuki People guaranteed under the Art.19,21 and 300(A) of the Constitution of India and a violation of the indigenous Peoples rights on land ,dwelling places and land ownership and is also a violation of the principles of natural justice which is a political design to evict the Indigenous tribal Kuki people by resorting to illegal operation.

Under the circumstances, we will be compel to take any steps to protect the existence and very survival of the poor and mariginallized indigenous Tribal like the Kuki, the Karbi and the Rengma People of the district.

It is therefore, fervently appeal to your Excellency, as custodian and dispenser of justice, to take into consideration on the above facts, and directed the concerned authorities to cancel this conspiratorial move of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council once for all on humanitarian grounds.

We Pray for you good health and long life in the service of the suffering and toiling masses of our beloved Motherland,India.

J A I H I N D !

Yours Faithfully,
(Apao L.Hangsing)
(Letlien Guite)
(Tongthang Touthang)
Spokesperson ,
Vice-President, President ,
KUKI NATIONAL ASSEMBLY KUKI NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
KUKI NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

(Helkam Guite)
Asstt.General Secy.
KUKI NATIONAL ASSEMBLY,
Karbi Anglong, Assam.

Copy to:-

1.The Hon’ble Chief Minister of Assam, Government of Assam, Dispur, Guwahati, for information and necessary action.
2.The Hon’ble Chairman National Tiger Conservation Authority,for kind information and necessary appropriate action.
3.The Hon’ble Minister of Assam for Forest ,DISPUR-GUWAHATI for kind information and intervention.
4.The Hon’ble Minister, of Revenue, Government of Assam,Dispur- Guwahati, for kind information and necessary action.
5.The Hon’ble Chief Secretary, Government of Assam, Dispur, Guwahati for kind information and necessary action.
6.The Hon’ble Member of Parliament 3 Autonomous Parliamentary Constituency, DIPHU, Karbi Anglong, Assam for kind information and necessary action.
7.The Hon’ble HAD Minister,Government of Assam,Dispur,Guwahati, for kind information and necessary appropriate action.
8.The Hon’ble MLA,DIPHU/BOKAJAN LAC, for kind information and necessary appropriate action.
9. The Hon’ble MAC, KAAC, Singhason,Borjan,etc. for kind information and necessary action.
10. To all concerned for information and necessary cooperation.

President,
KUKI NATIONAL ASSEMBLY,
H.O-, Kuki Colony,
Manja,
Karbi Anglong,
Assam.