Imphal, March 17 2010: Heroes of Anglo-Kuki War (1917-19) were remembered today with rich floral tributes in a function organised by the Anglo-Kuki War Patriots Memorial Foundation at New Bijang along the NH-53, Sadar Hills on its 93th anniversary.

Gathering people on the occasion expressed disappointment when two MLAs, Thangmilien Kipgen, chairman of the Hill Areas Committee of state Assembly and Haokholet Kipgen who will grace as chief guest and president failed to turn up at the function citing unavoidable reasons on their parts.

They blamed that their attitudes are like disrespecting their forefathers, heroes of yesteryear.

On the occasion held under theme that communal harmony, integration and peace, president of the Kuki Inpi Manipur Thangkhosei Haokip unveiled curtail of the memorial stone of the War Heroes and also laid the foundation stone for the construction of a cultural research centre.

The Anglo-Kuki war was fight when Kukis rose up against the British using them as their slave by entering to their lands, recalled Rev Rehang Chothe who spoke on the account of the celebration.

He said after the British kept Manipur under their colonial rule, they tried to abduct around 2000 hill people to send aboard as "Labour Corp" targeting to Kukis.

Forefathers of Kukis were strongly against the move of the British and waged war on March 17, 1917 for the first time to free them from colonial rule.

Terming the war as a symbolic one, he expressed the need for an in-depth research on how the forefathers of Kukis united to fight against the British.

It will helpful in the process of Kuki Re-unification for development and bringing peace in the region.

Stating that Shantidas Gosai who came Manipur during the reign of King Pamheiba to spread Hinduism had sowed the seed of separation between the Meetei and other people residing in the hill areas by pushing out hills people as untouchable one.

Keeping behind this thing, it is evident that hill people are protecting the freedom of the Manipur since time immemorial, he went on to say.

Thangkhosei Haokip speaking as chief guest of the function said that the war that fought by the Kukis of yesteryear had shown that Kukis did to live independently.

At that time Kuki forefathers strongly opposed the move of adopting Christianity as it was religion of enemy.

That was why Kukis adopted the religion at late.

He also recalled that when Maharaja Budhachandra was called at Shillong for signing the merger agreement, around 500 Kuki warriors kept guard the Maharaja opposing the merger and protect the territorial integrity of Manipur, he added.

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