After Thangjing to Thangting : Change of names to Kuknise Moreh comes to the fore
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 11 2023: While the Government has warned against changing names of places and institutions, this practice of changing original and approved names of places is not new, proved a complaint that has been filed with the Manipur Human Rights Commission.

After certain sections of people promoted the use of "Lamka" in place of Churachandpur and earlier Thangting instead of Thangjing, the State Government had days ago warned civil society organisations and groups against changing existing names of places, districts, and institutions.

The Government in its October 7 order stated that it has detected deliberate attempts to change names of places and institutions which may cause tension between communities amid the current conflict.

After Thangjing to Thangting : Change of names to Kuknise Moreh comes to the fore

The present 5 month old conflict between the Meiteis and the Kukis has in fact shed light on many such attempts to deliberately change names of existing places at present and in the future.

As per the complaint that has been filed with the MHRC, in many of the instances, certain sections of the people are found not only changing the names of the places but also the entire demography of the places.

While the complaint with the MHRC details the sequence of incidents that happened on May 3 at border-town Moreh, it also contains details of the many clashes that have occurred in Manipur particularly at Moreh, all involving Kukis as one group in the conflicts.

The sequence of events that unfolded on May 3 and following days at Moreh will be published in the coming issues.

This piece here focuses on the deliberate attempts that have been made to change names of original places which has been identified as one of the major concerns for many communities amid the crisis.

Moreh

Manipur's border-town Moreh in now Tengnoupal district is around 110 Km from Imphal and it became a survey land in December 1989.Prior to 1990, the Tamils, the Meiteis and the Nagas were the major communities in the town, with a significant number of other communities such as Kuki, Malayali, Bengali, Jain, Punjabi, Meitei Pangal (Manipuri Muslim) and Nepali.

After many communal clashes--Kuki-Naga clash (1992), Kuki-Tamil (1995), Kuki-Paite (1997), Kuki-Meitei (2007, 2010, 2015, 2023 at the border town), the Kuki community now dominates Moreh.

Manipur shares a 398 km long boundary with Myanmar, and a larger portion of the boundary is not fenced and porous, making it easy for infiltrators and drug smugglers to cross into Manipur without detection.

Now, according to a report cited in the complaint with the Manipur Human Rights Commission (MHRC), it claims that Myanmar Nationals have crossed over to Moreh and inhabited in different parts.

"There is a village called Shahei in Moreh, and more than 50 percent of the people in this village are Myanmar citizens," said the complaint.

Many Myanmar Nationals have crossed the border and are taking shelter in different parts of Manipur including at Haolenphai village, claims the complaint.

Is it Haolenphai of Mankang Khunthak ?

On March 28 this year, chief of Mankang village, N Nungcin held a press conference where he claimed that Mankang Khunthak having PIN Code 270730 was a Moyon (Naga) village under Moreh Block and it had been forcefully occupied by the Kukis.

He accused the Kukis of changing the name of the village to 'Haolenphai' .

Original Mankang villagers are all displaced and they are taking shelter at Kapaam village (Komlathabi) in Chandel district.

Haolenphai is a "fictitious village" and the same is not recognised by the State Government.

Further, as per the Manipur Gazette Notification dated 5th February, 1962, Thangbung Minou (T Minou) village and Betuk village (Betuk Sengreng) are recognised villages under Moreh sub-division.

T Minou village that existed as early as 1885 has had 11 village chiefs.

Late Angpong Anal was the chief of T Minou during 1991-1997.At present, Ts Thurhing Anal is the chief, appointed in the year 1998 .

Original villagers of both T Minou and Betuk villages are at present taking refuge in Chandel district.

Villagers of T Minou along with their chief are at present taking refuge in a village near the north block of the Deputy Commissioner's office, Chandel district.

At present, George Surte, chief of Betuk and his villagers are also taking refuge in a place near Navodaya Vidyalaya, Chandel.

Displaced Meiteis' PMJAY cards shows "wrong address"

Displaced people of Moreh recently burnt their PMJAY (Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana) cards for containing/inserting incorrect addresses.

The Committee on Protection of Meitei Victims in Moreh had said the addresses of the Meiteis and their localities have been found to be renamed and changed on the PMJAY cards.

The committee had claimed that there had been rampant deliberate and unauthorized change of names of addresses of the residences of people of Moreh.

It had claimed that five Meitei villages in Moreh have been renamed and replaced with Kuki names.

Moreh Heinoumakhong Leikai and Moreh Turel Wangma Leikai have been renamed as Chikim Village, Moreh Khunou Leikai has been renamed as T Yangnom Village, Moreh Khongnangthaba Leikai Bazar has been renamed as D Monophai Village, and Moreh Premnagar as Phaicham Village, claimed the committee.

Address of Air India's Ticketing office

To the surprise of many, in July this year, the address of Air India's Airport Ticketing Office (ATO), Imphal International Airport was found printed as "Lamka" in the flight itinerary of a passenger.

Churachandpur or Lamka?

Most Kukis call Churachandpur "Lamka", and amid the current crisis, Kukis have taken down many signboards with the word Churachandpur.

Many sign-boards and hoardings have been painted over as "Lamka" in place of Churachandpur.

Some individuals have claimed this attempt to change existing and original names of places is being done with the motive to alienate, reduce and do away with anything that reflects Meitei's history and culture.

As an example, some cited the "attempt to change Thangjing hill to Thangting hill" .

Interestingly, the use of Lamka in place of Churachandpur as the district's name had recently caused headache to some residents and to the India Post also.

Some residents of Churachandpur district had raised a complaint on social media that many parcels with the destination mentioned as "Lamka" were stuck at the post office in Imphal.

In response to the complaint, India Post on X (formerly Twitter) had said that there is no Pin code for "Lamka" .

India Post had said, "We are sorry to inform you that your delivery has been delayed due to the prevailing situation in Manipur.

The destination pin code for Lamka does not exist or is not available.

Inconvenience caused is sincerely regretted" .

Following this, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) had asked residents not to use "Lamka" until the demand for separate administration was given.

The Sangai Express has previously published four stories on events that occurred in Churachandpur on May 3 and following days.

Stories of events that unfolded in Moreh on may 3 will be published in the coming issues.