KSO reacts to IPAK remarks
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, July 16 2015 :
The Kuki Students Organisation General Headquarters (KSO GHQ) has taken strong exception to the statement of Sapamcha Jadumani, president of Indigenous People"s Association of Kangleipak (IPAK) which maintained that 8 lakh non-local population of the State comprises Myanmarese Kukis, Bangladesh Muslims and Nepali nationals.
Jadumani"s view which equates the Kukis with Muslims and Nepalis is sinister and uncalled for, a KSO statement released by its general secretary Seiboi Haokip said on Thursday.
Because Kukis wherever they are, are also indigenous people and as far as Kukis are concerned there are no such people as Myanmarese Kukis because all the Kukis whatsoever country they may belong to are one and the same, dwelling in their own ancestral lands, it said.
So it is not justified to term Kukis of Myanmar as migrants and to identify them by the name of a country is a misnomer, KSO asserted, adding that besides there are no Kukis coming here from Myanmar to stay here as claimed by some people because no Kuki from Myanmar has ever felt the need to come here to stay as they have homes in Myanmar.
The Kuki students are also concerned about other communities over the unchecked population influx from outside, it said.
The recent movement for implementation of ILPS is appreciated as it is for all the indigenous people, the statement said, adding a more coordinated movement involving all the hill people would be more vocal and productive in view of the Central Government"s repeated rebuff of the issue in the past.
It said just as the people in the valley are wary of unsolvable problems due to population invasion from outside, the hill people have felt the need for protection of their land, identity, culture and existence from outside domination.
No doubt some people have considered the current pro-ILPS movement as communal as claimed by Jadumani because he indulged in communal tone to people"s movement like ILPS, KSO accused.
Jadumani"s inflammatory statement can hurt the sentiments of other communities that may create mistrust and alienation to the other communities, the student body said.
The KSO appeals to valley based mainstream civil bodies like UCM, AMUCO, DESAM and AMSU to rein in nondescript organizations from making inflammatory remarks which could hurt people"s feelings, it urged and added that if peace, harmony and development are to be maintained, the people of Manipur cannot be divided on communal lines.