Admit fault of starting violence: WMC to Kuki leaders
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, August 04 2023:
World Meetei Council (WMC)-Central Executive Committee (CEC) has advised the Chin-Kuki leaders to admit their unpardonable fault of starting the horrific cycle of violence and come to their senses so that normalcy could return to Manipur.
As human beings Chin-Kuki leaders should understand the value of life which they have been playing with so far and that this is the only way to peace, WMC emphasised in a release issued by secretary general Yambem Arun Meetei.
While asserting that Manipur is an ancient land where Meetei and Naga are the two aboriginal/indigenous people, the secretary: "Chin-Kuki migrated from Chin state and Sagaing division of Myanmar.
Their first arrival was in 18th century though in small number as records say.
Then few more during King Narasingh reign in 19th century.
After the British took over Manipur in 1891, they put the Chin-Kuki also known as Khongjai, in surrounding foothill areas of the Manipur valley, which they named as Selected Area Development Administrative Region (SADAR) to fend off attacks by the Naga tribes.
Till 1968 the Manipur government had arranged for the settlement of Chin-Kuki alias Kuki refugees from Burma," it said.
"Today the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Federation (ITLF), a Chin-Kuki organisation, claims itself as 'Indigenous' but immigrants cannot be indigenous and is found to make some demand to the Government of India to legalise the burial site, etc.
What is not acceptable is their claim of Churachandpur as their ancestral land" .
"The fact is, it was only in early 1920s that the migrant Chin-Kukis were allowed to settle in Yelang by King Churachand of Manipur amongst the Naga tribes and the Meeteis who were there long before they arrived.
And consequently, the king changed the name of the place taking his own name from Yelang to Churachandpur to mark his generosity to the refugees".
WMC added, "The ITLF can claim their ancestral land in Myanmar but not in India and particularly not in Manipur.
Manipur had given them a place to live peacefully and not to create problems.
Indeed, the immigrant Chin Kukis should learn to be grateful".
WMC further appealed that the Chin-Kuki people especially the MLAs and also ITLF etc., to take back their demand for separate administration or whatever they call it.
"Manipur belongs to people who respect the law of the land and live peacefully.
Immigrant community cannot create a homeland out of Manipur.
Chin-Kukis have started this cycle of horrific violence only to realise their Zalengam.
They made innocent Chin-Kukis the sacrificial goat for1 their devilish plan" .
"They did the same in Myanmar in 1980s but Myanmar taught them a lesson by crushing them.
India is no less a power than Myanmar.
But they are exploiting the Indian democracy to the extent possible and much more than the acceptable limit facilitated by their huge financial resources earned from drugs as per report of Intelligence Bureau," it alleged.