KIM pleads PM for early settlement of Kuki issues
Source: Chronicle News Service
Kangpokpi, January 04 2022:
Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) has appealed to the Prime Minister of India for an early solution to the protracted political problems of the Kukis through a memorandum submitted to him during his visit to the state on Tuesday.
The memorandum signed jointly by KIM president Khaimang Chongloi and general secretary Shokholun Mate stated that KIM acknowledged the commendable works done by the BJP government across the country in the true spirit of 'Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas' in line with 'Panchamrut' philosophy which resulted in unprecedented growth and improvement in the quality of life of the people and making "our Bharat Mata a force to reckon with at home and among the comity of Nations".
KIM then recalled that prior to the invasion of British colonialists, Kuki people enjoyed complete freedom over their territory under the benign and capable leadership of noble chieftains, who held sway over the entire hills of the present day Manipur with no external in terference.
"The Kukis in defence of their land and freedom dared to raise the banner of revolt against the mighty British Imperial power from 1917-1919, known in history as the Kuki Rising/Kuki War of Independence.
In the war the British resorted to scorched-earth tactics of burning crops and hamlets.
The colonialists' ignoble war tactic ultimately forced the Kuki chiefs to end hostilities in 1919 and a part of their territory was placed under the Hill Administration within British paramountcy," it further mentioned.
"Again in 1942, when Netaji Sub-hash Chandra Bose formed the Indian National Army and gave a clarion call to liberate India from the oppressive yoke of the British Imperial Raj, it was the Kukis who responded to the call with true patriotic fervour and enlisted in hordes in the Indian National Army in a bid to restore their freedom and more than one hundred and fifty Kuki Indian National Army (INA) pensioners are still alive...with a view to suppress our people, our territory was divided and place under different administrative units, the effect of which linger, till date.
The present-day Manipur is a British construct, reinforced in Independent India," it added.
KIM also recounted the killing of 1000 innocent Kuki civilians and demanded a settlement for the 360 villages uprooted and more than 1 lakh Kukis who have been rendered homeless "before the closure of the talks", adding that "this heavy loss of our lives and parts of our territory at the hands of NSCN (IM) primarily prevailed because the Kukis were never given appropriate political recognition in respect of their ancestral lands and distinct identity" .
It then said, "Kuki Inpi Manipur firmly believes in peaceful co-existence between the different communities in the state of Manipur, and recognises that mutual respect among the communities of each other's political and legal rights is the way forward".
"The Kuki Inpi Manipur therefore request your kind benevolence to consider the situation of the Kukis in the true spirit of 'Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas' before finalization of the Framework Agreement and also establish a strong political institution so that we the Kukis as an indigenous people of India can govern our own affairs within our traditional territory and protect our ancestral land and identity which our forefathers have jealously defended from the British imperial Raj and grow equally with other communities of our state and country," it added.
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