Unite to delist Kuki from ST: FoH to indigenes
Why hereditary chieftainship still in practice despite 1967 Act, poses Maheshwar
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, January 28 2024: Federation of Haomee (FoH) has called upon the indigenous communities of the state to unite in forwarding the demand for scrapping of Kuki from the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list.

In a statement, FoH said that ST is a constitutional status granted to indigenous people of the country.

Everybody knows that Kukis are not indigenous to the state as they entered Manipur in the 18th Century, and there is no merit in recognising them as ST.

Despite the facts and long standing demands by several bodies to delist Kukis from the ST list, the government authority added the terms 'Any Kuki' & 'Any Mizo' in the ST list, which is an act of betrayal to the public.

Indigenous people should be the original settlers of an area, who have nowhere else to return to, and those who have established social, political and traditional institutions before invasion or colonisation period.

It would be wrong to keep the mistake further and the President of India should take up necessary actions to delist the non-indigenous community from the ST list to prevent future crisis, the statement said.

It further informed that Gangte, Hmar, Paite, Ralte, Simte, Sute, Thadou, Vaiphei, Zou, Any Mizo (Lushai) tribes were granted ST status in the Indian Constitution Modification Order No CRO1477 dated October 29, 1956 .

The term 'Any Kuki' was added in the entry No 33 of the list on January 7, 2003 while Mate was added in 2012 .

They are not indigenous communities of Manipur and as such, they cannot be granted ST status in the state, the statement affirmed.

Meanwhile, Republican Party of India (Athawale) national secretary Maheshwar Thounaojam questioned why any Kuki is allowed to establish a village consisting of 20 households in Kuki-dominated hill areas and declare oneself as the chief of the village, although the state had passed the Manipur Hills Areas (Acquisition of Chief Rights) Act, 1967 .

In a press meet held at his Keishampat residence on Saturday, Maheshwar said that the union government is in tripartite talks with around 25 armed Kuki groups.

On top of these groups, almost every Kuki chief and clan have set up their own militant groups.

It would be a mistake on the part of the government to ignore this issue.

Although the Manipur Hills Areas (Acquisition of Chief Rights) Act was passed in 1967, there seems to be no effect in the state even after 57 years.

Mentioning the democratic way of electing chiefs among the Naga community, Maheshwar, however, said that in Kuki dominated areas, the hereditary chieftainship allows anyone to become chief and everyone can do as they please under that chief's command.

Manipur is the only state in the northeast where the hereditary chieftainship is still being practised.

The government of Assam passed the Assam Lushai Hills District (Acquisition of Chiefs' Rights) Bill in 1954 and abolished hereditary chieftainship from the state with Mizoram also following suit under the Mizo Hills District in 1955.Tripura replaced the chieftainship with the Panchayat system under the Tripura Tribal Area Autonomous District Council.

Even Myanmar had removed the power of hereditary chieftainship from its country.

Meanwhile, Manipur has yet to put into effect the Hills Areas (Acquisition of Chief Rights) Act even after 57 years.

Anyone can become a chief of a village having no less than 20 households.

As such, illegal immigrants from Myanmar are taking advantage of the loophole in Ku ki-dominated areas.

The chief acts wilfully, allowing all the clans to arm themselves.

In election time, "forced" donations are carried out under the chief's command, rendering the principle of democracy meaningless, he remarked.

Urging the state government to abolish the hereditary chieftainship under the Act, Maheshwar said that the violence as well as illegal immigration from Myanmar will reduce significantly once this takes effect.

He then called upon the government to help uphold the meaning of democracy, while rectifying the mistakes of the past.

The government should stop feigning ignorance of reality or the prevailing situation could get much worse, he cautioned.

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