"Kukis demanding homeland in Manipur shows lack of foresight"
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 31 2023:
The Kukis demanding a homeland in Manipur is not acceptable and this demand shows lack of foresight on their part, said Apunba Huiyen Lalong Lup president Okram Manglem at a press meet at Manipur Press Club, Imphal today afternoon.
Manipur was an independent State before it merged with the Union of India.
While the State was inhabited by the indigenous communities in the valley and the hills, the Kukis were brought in by the British as unskilled labourers since the times of Maharaja Nara Singh.
Their demand for a homeland in Manipur is unfortunate and it shows lack of foresight on their part, he said.
On the present tension, he asserted that since May 3, armed Kuki youths and Kuki militants are continuously attacking the Meiteis while the Assam Rifles does little to stop their unprovoked aggression.
While the Centre has not acted appropriately to end the violent conflict, the Chief Minister and the MPs from the State have not done enough either, he added.
When Kuki terrorists are infiltrating into Manipur and are attacking the Meiteis, the civilians have been left to defend themselves while Central security forces watch on.
Manipur must be the only place where such has happened, he said.
Even as violence continued, the Prime Minister has not spoken a word on the present conflict.
Such an attitude of the PM is against the interest of the State, he added.
Highlighting the need for appropriate measures to end the crisis, Okram Manglem further shared that the violent conflict has displaced thousands of the people and has forced many young students to drop out of schools to defend their families and villages in the foothills.