KSDC bandh affects normal life
Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN

Imphal, July 08 2013: The two-day bandh called by Kuki State Demand Committee (KSDC) in all Kuki dominated areas of Manipur began today at 5 am affecting all the normal daily activities.

The KSDC claims that in Churachandpur seven vehicles including one Shaktiman truck, two Activa Honda bike, one Tata Magic van and three Auto-rickshaws were damaged by bandh supporters on the first day of the bandh today.

According to KSDC, along Imphal-Ukhrul road no vehicular movement was seen and so as along the Imphal-Moreh road.

Along Imphal-Moreh road people came out today and blocked the road at several places and in border town Moreh all business establishments down their shutters, educational institutions were closed and halted all normal activities.

In Leimatak (Loktak Hydro electricity project) all activities like schools, offices did not function, according to the KDSC.

Along Imphal-Dimapur road at Sadar Hills sector no movement could be seen as such in Saikul sub-divisional headquarters, the KSDC said.

Supporters of KSDC enforcing bandh along Imphal-Ukhrul road in Mahadev area

"The KSDC will not cow down under any circumstance till the political movement for the Kuki is achieved.

KSDC upholds the steps taken by the people for unitedly supporting the bandh and appeals the people to contiue supporting us till the end to expose the lackaidaiscal attitude of the government towards the Kukis," KSDC leader George Guite said.

The KSDC has been demanding from both the state and the Central Governments to start peace parleys with two umbrella Kuki armed groups�The Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People's Front (UPF)�which are signatories to the Suspension of Operations (SoO) involving both the Central and state Governments.

Recalling its movement, the Kuki State Demand Committee(KSDC) said on Monday that it was revived on November 2, 2010 based on the political movement of the Kuki National Assembly(KNA) for creation of Kuki State in the present day Manipur(First memorandum was submitted in 1960 to the then Prime Minister of India Late PT Jawaharlal Nehru).Before the advent of the British colonialists in the soil of the Kukis,the Kukis governed themselves under chiefs in their territories without outside interfence in their affairs.

Since the merged of the Kuki territories with Kangleipak (Manipur)without the consent of the Kukis which added their suffering increases day in and day out.

KSDC has been leading the mass movement for separate Kuki State within the Constitution of India as Kukis are denied of their rights for life, security and development and peaceful governance of their affairs in their ancestral land even after India got independence and the attainment of statehood by Manipur.

"Failure on the part of the Government to protect the life and property leading to Kuki genocide in the 1990s , planting of landmine by killing and maining innocent Kuki villagers raping of women in the 2000s," the KSDC pointed out while citing it as one of the factors to start for the demand of a separate Kuki State.

Another factor has been the denial of Sadar Hills as full-fleged district as it is dominated by the Kukis is tantamount to denial of development of the Kukis.

"The Government failed to address the governance of the tribals under Sixth scheduled which is a constitutional rights; the disparity/negligence of development in Kuki areas; the policy of the Government of alienating and annexation of tribal land through state mechanism; interference of the Government and its machineries in the affaire - de of the Kukis; the Government denied the rights of the tribals in Government employment by alienating the reservation policy; rendering the Hill Area committee non-functional which is a breach of the privileges' of the tribals; denial of proportionate representation in the state assembly between the tribals and non- tribals.etc etc., are also some other factors that have prompted us to start this movement," the KSDC stated.

The Kukis in present day Manipur is left with pamper and has no future for political as well as administration, it lamented.

"The KSDC therefore had led the Kuki people for their political survival leading to mass rally since its inception in 2010 followed by general strikes, public blockade, economic blockade etc.as the Government had failed to address the vexed Kuki political issue," KSDC leader George Guite added.

"In 2012, the patience of the Kuki people was beyond control that led to the boycotting of ASEAN-INDIA car rally.

As a face saving measure, the government of India through the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA ) had sent a letter aasuring the Kuki people that the political dialogue with Kuki underground groups would begin after the Winter session of the Parliament.

Taking into confidence, the KSDC had decided to suspend the boycott but nothing concrete steps have been taken by the government of India and that had prompted the KSDC to blockade the BCIM car rally.The Government inspite of addressing the issue unleased their might by manhandling the peaceful demonstrators at various places in Imphal-Jiribam Road(NH-2) and imposition of curfew under Crpc 144 in Imphal-Moreh Road.

It was ashame for the government as the car rally was welcomed with placards and black-flags at various places which exposed the hollowness of Indian democracy," the KSDC recalled.

It then said, sensing the indifferent attitude of the Government towards the Kukis, the KSDC decided to resume the suspended public blockade and called general strike from 5 am of July 8 to 5 pm of July 9 in all the Kuki inhabited areas in Manipur and to be follwed by economic blockade for 48 hours.

The KSDC will continue the movement till the political solution for the Kukis inthe form of Kuki State is attained/achieved, the KDSC affirmed.