Kuki-Zo Council memo to UN seeks Kuki 'country'
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, July 13 2023:
In connection with the prevailing violence in Manipur, World Kuki Zo Intellectual Council (WKZIC) submitted a memorandum to the secretary general of the United Nations, requesting for creation of a Kuki State, integrating all Ku-ki-Chin territories of Chin State (Myanmar/Burma), Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Bangladesh and Mizoram (India) and Kuki Hills in outer Manipur.
The memorandum, which was submitted on June 29, sought urgent intervention for protection of ethnic Ku kis in Manipur from gross violations of human rights against the National Human Rights Paris Principles 1,2 and 3; and creation of a Kuki State in Kuki Hills, Outer Manipur under Article 3 of the Indian Constitution; or, granting a country from Chin State (Myanmar/ Burma), Manipur, Tripura and Mizoram (India) and Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Bangladesh in accordance to GA Grierson s Linguistic Survey of India-1904, Volume-3, Part-Ill & United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: Right to Self-Determination, Autonomy, Self-Government and In digenous institutions.
As per point no.3 of the memorandum, Kuki villages in the Kuki hills paid Hill House Tax (but not land tax) to the British from 1800s till India's independence.
When Manipur merged with India, the tribal chiefs and their territories were not covered under the 'Manipur Merger Agreement' .
The memorandum further highlighted the heinous atrocities the Kukis suffered at the hands of the Meitei and Naga communities.
Point no.7 of the memorandum conveyed that on May 3, a pre-planned ethnic cleansing genocide was launched by the Meitei against the Kuki-Zo community under the sponsorship of chief minister N Biren Singh and MP Leisem-ba Sanajaoba through the radicalised groups, 'Meitei Leepun' and 'Arambai Teng-gol', assisted by the state police force.
Point no.8 of the memorandum also mentioned the Kuki genocide carried out by National Socialist Council of Nagaland: Issac Muivah (NSCN-IM) from 1993 to 1997 .
The Naga insurgent group burned down 360 villages and killed 1040 Kukis in cold blood, while
over 50 women were raped and killed, it alleged.
Point no.9 and 10 explained about the indigenous Kuki population in Manipur and demographic changes along with the growth of new villages in Kuki dominated districts in Manipur from 1959-2023 .
It stated that in addition to large scale migration of Kukis, all uprooted Kuki villages during the 1993-97 clashes were re-established in, as per Kuki traditional system but the internally displaced persons were mistakenly termed as 'Myan-fnarese Immigrants' .
The memorandum also accused the government of Manipur of step motherly treatment of hill tribes, particularly the Kukis, while mentioning the imbalance in the state budgets for the valleys and the hills.
It also alleged that the withdrawal of AFSPA from valley areas gave free hand to the Meitei 'undergrounds' in carrying out the current genocide against the Kuki.
It then accused CM Biren and MP Sanajaoba of providing training to terrorist mobs, 'Meitei Leepun' and 'Arambai Tenggol' for the past three years (2020-2023) for attacking Kuki people.
Furthermore, the Manipur government en croached on tribal lands under the guise of protecting reserved forests, protected forests and wildlife sanctuaries and curbing poppy plantation, while also misusing the MLR&LR Acts, 1975 to grab indigenous tribal lands.
In conclusion, the 55-page memorandum sought for a separate administration of Kukis in Manipur under Article 3 of the Indian Constitution; or if the Government of India is against the creation of separate administration, to grant a separate country of Kukis.
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