Dy CM's statement irks KSO
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network

Imphal, June 13 2014 : The Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO-General Headquarters) has asserted that the commercial hub Moreh town belongs to the Kukis.

The Kuki students' apex body has taken strong exception of the Deputy Chief Minister's remarks during his visit to Moreh on June 11 .

The apex Kuki students' body said the Deputy Chief Minister is a seasoned politician and a good administrator but his recent veiled attack on the Kukis as a community of encroachers and stating Moreh as belonging to all is much regrettable, because Moreh and the surrounding lands belong to Kukis, all through its history.

"His remark is akin to inciting communal feelings among the people of the State.

This is unbecoming of a Deputy Chief Minister whose responsibility is to promote communal harmony and peace," the KSO-GHQ said, adding, "Just because we allowed outsiders to reside in Moreh does not mean the land is open to all.

We, the Kukis have our chiefs who owned the lands by din of our customs and traditions.

It is up to the Chief who along with member of his house has the authority to decide who can reside on his land" .

Just like Ukhrul belongs to the Tangkhuls, Tamenglong to the Zeliangrongs, so is Moreh belongs to the Kukis.

This is a non-negotiable fact.

"May be it is the time for him to retrospect whatever reason may lurked behind it.

In the early 1990s when he was the cabinet minister more than 100 Kuki villages in Tamenglong district were destroyed; lands were seized; houses were burnt and razed to the ground; many Kuki villagers were butchered and killed," the KSO-GHQ alleged.

According to the KSO-GHQ, the Kuki people are familiar with the 'Look East Policy' of the Government.

But it is also our concern that we need a 'Look After Policy'.

The Kuki people should reap the benefit of the Look East Policy, but at the same time, they should have the right to protect themselves from external threat to their lands and people.

The government is interested in opening up the border for Free Trade.

However it is doubtful that the local indigenous people would gain much.

It will be the outside traders who will benefit at the expense of the local people.

If the deputy chief minister is keen on shifting the border trade elsewhere he is welcome to do so.

The KSO-GHQ then demanded that the Deputy Chief Minister to apologize to the Kuki people for his unwarranted remarks.

"He is also the Home Minister and it is his job to maintain law and order from certain anti-government elements if the case is so.

But a veiled attack on the whole Kuki people is unsolicited," the apex Kuki students' body stated.

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