UNC tears apart Kuki claims; says 'Kuki hills' non-existent
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 21 2023: The United Naga Council (UNC) has asserted that there is no region called 'Kuki hills' in Manipur.

A statement issued by the UNC said that the Nagas' opposition to the creation of new districts in 2016 remains alive as an unfinished issue.

Hence the demand of separate administration which incorporates the so-called new districts is necessarily opposed.

The bifurcation of districts is an issue virtually with the Kukis only, not with Zo peoples.

UNC tears apart Kuki claims; says 'Kuki hills' non-existent

In this regard, the Kuki-Zo people's representation to the Union Government, Israeli's Prime Minister, European Parliament, UNO, etc is on false territorial foundation and an attempt to befool those authorities because in the context of Manipur, the name 'Kuki' was first heard sometime between 1830-1840 and therefore, 'Kuki hills' that appear in the fourth para of the mentioned memo to the Prime Minister of Israel is non-existent and utopian concoction, the UNC asserted.

What is mentioned in the memorandum as the area of 'Outer Manipur' for the creation of Kuki State (for the Kukis only, excluding the Zo peoples?) and the Kuki hills may exist somewhere else, it said.

Asking if the Kukis speak with sense, the UNC warned that such wild venture will lead the Kukis to nowhere today and in future.

"It is a sheer attempt to script bad history for unending enmity between us", UNC added.

It was an act of befooling them if the establishment of new villages in Kuki areas within Naga districts is stated to be for their displaced people of 1990s conflict while keeping the fact of illegal immigrants hidden before those authorities.

The doctored statement is mentioned in the memorandum submitted to the United Nations Organization, the UNC noted.

"While the Nagas have better sense of hardships, distresses etc.

borne by the Kuki-Zo peoples as the consequences of the present ethnic conflict, it has become all the more inevitable for the Nagas to register our opposition to the issues raised and incorporated in their memorandum submitted to different authorities as it is posing a big threat to the very existence and inalienable rights of the Nagas particularly in the State of Manipur", the UNC said.

It said that the Nagas are also taken aback by the blatant lies, lop-sided history and fabricated information contained in every statement and memorandum issued by the Kuki-Zo community which is tantamount to distortion of Naga history and insult to the Naga people.

Historically, the advent of British in the history of Manipur has brought about many unwanted changes.

"One of the many problems that we inherit from the British colonial rule is the issue of planting Kuki tribe in the Naga hills", it said.

As a mercenary tribe, the British found the Kukis quite useful.

Their total lack of attachment to any land and landscape was immediately recognised by the British thus making them instrumental in crushing the indigenous communities of Manipur.

The recent blatant attempt of Kukis at distorting history of Kuki rebellion of 1917-1919 as Anglo-Kuki War to legitimize their imagined Kuki homeland within Naga ancestral homeland is one of the classic examples of their habitual lies, the Naga body said.

The Kuki Rebellion 1917-1919 was a savage episode of murdering, torching houses, plundering and enslaving women and children of indigenous Naga community in Ukhrul, Chandel and Tamenglong in Manipur, it said.

Thus, it was never a war but a mere rebellion with the colonial power as there is no record of Anglo-Kuki War in the history of India (MHA), it maintained.

It is also pertinent to bring to the notice of all the conscientious individuals and authorities that the State of Manipur is now flooded with illegal immigrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh.

In all the districts, there has been increase and expansion of villages and creation of new villages rampantly and at rapid pace.

Columns of illegal camps are being built at alarming rate near the town of Moreh and its surrounding areas to facilitate settlement of those intruding Kukis from Myanmar.

If the flow of illegal immigrants is not stopped by the Government of India and the Government of Manipur, the day will not be long when the Indigenous population will be reduced to a minority, the UNC cautioned.

The memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister of India on August 16, 2023 by the 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs demanding creation of the post of Chief Secretary and Director General of Police or equivalent posts, is nothing but a mere different tune sung out of the same lyrics�� the demand for separate administration, the UNC pointed out.

In this regard too, the Nagas are not with the Kukis as it involves the problems raised above, the Naga body set the record straight.

It is completely uncanny and unfortunate on the part of the Kuki-Zo peoples to have clubbed Chandel district along with the so called Tengnoupal district together with Churachandpur district as their land.

The stone megaliths and menhirs found in different parts of Churachandpur speak of the precedence of the Nagas (specially the Zeliangrongs) over the present inhabitants and the Anals and Lamkangs in Pherzawl areas, it said.

Taking serious note that nine names of Naga tribes of Chandel district were incorporated in Kuki constitution as Kuki tribes, prior to the submission of the memorandum, the UNC urged the Kukis to show the basis of the inclusion.

The Nagas will not remain mute over the issue.

Having said all these, the Nagas believe that nothing in this regard is too late to set the wrong to right, it added.