Kuki Black Day Facebook profile pictures blackened
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network

Imphal, September 10 2013: Inspite of strong opposition from some quarters in observing "13 September Kukis' Black Day", with the onset of September a social networking giant Facebook group photos of Chin-Kuki groups viz "Kuki Kahi Kakipah E" (I'm Proud to be Kuki), BOMBIEL and VOICE OF THE HILLS have gone black with "KUKI BLACK DAY" inscribed on it, while group members mostly students, employees and professionals have too blackened their prolife pictures to commemorate and as a tribute to the 900 plus Kukis killed during the early 1990s ethnic violence.

September 13 has been observed as Kuki Black Day for several years now by the Kukis as on this day maximum number of Kukis were killed in 1993 in the 1990s ethnic problem between the Kukis and the Nagas.

Meanwhile, when asked by NNN as to why they have blackened their profile pictures, a young student activist Mangcha Baite said, "As usual for several years Kukis have been observing September 13 as Kukis' Black Day and as we feel it is our moral obligation to commemorate we've blackened our profile pictures in reverence to the departed souls who were killed during the early 1990s ethnic violence at the least through this social networking site and it's very unfortunate that since the last couple of years some sections have misconceived the observance of the Kukis Black Day saying it could instill negative impression to the younger generations" .

He further said that, "There's nothing as such, instead the day is observed as a day of prayer to the Almighty and purely in remembrance of the departed souls and a day of introspection" .

Mention may be made here that, The Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) and Kuki Organisation for Human Rights (KOHR) have been persistently pursuing for what they say "Justice for the Kukis" .

Of late the apex traditional body of Kukis KIM and its frontal organization KOHR had jointly submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister of India requesting for immediate settlement of NSCN(I-M)'s crimes first before any agreement, which they said were murdering of 900 innocent Indian Kukis, uprooting 360 Indian Kuki villages and making 100,000 Indian Kukis as refugees.

So that the last rite of those 900 innocent people murdered could be performed, according to the Kukis' traditional practice of the burial rite, and also that over the two decades mourning will come to a close.

It is also reportedly said that in connection with the Kukis Black Day, denizens of Sadar Hills under the banner of Committee on Memorial Monuments Erection Violence Victims (MMEVV) are on full swing working day and night preparing monuments in reverence to the departed souls with their names inscribed on it.

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