ZYF, Naga Voices against proposed protest rally of KIM
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, July 02 2014: The proposed peaceful protest rally of Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) on July 4 to air their grievances over the alleged lackadaisical attitude of the Government of India towards the plight of the Kukis, who lost their properties as well as lives of their dear and near ones during the Kuki-Naga clash in early 90s is only an attempt to stir up misunderstanding between the Kukis and Nagas and orchestrated by some vested interest people, alleged a statement of Zeliangrong Youth Front (Assam, Manipur & Nagaland) today.

The statement issued by ZYF Publicity wing said that such attempt will not fructify as the people of both the communities are very much aware of the past and does not desire to commit the same mistake again.

The Kuki people are not the only one who suffered during the Kuki-Nga clash.

In fact, Naga people have suffered much more at the hands of different Kuki underground groups, it added, while citing some instances such as pushing down of passenger bus between Longmai (Noney) and Imphal on 19th October in 1994 into a gorge near Kotlien village on NH 53 by Kuki underground killing more than twenty innocent people and injuring several others.

Another Imphal-Noney passenger bus was stopped near Sekjang village on NH.

53 and innocent people were killed after pulling down from the bus, it continued and pointing out that killing of Nagas was also committed by Kuki underground at Kangpokpi bazar, I.T road, Hengbung, different villages in Chandel district, on the Imphal-Ukhrul road, in Churachandpur district, Senapati district and other places wherever the Kuki underground came across Nagas.

However, for the sake of peace and tranquility, the Naga people are not observing "black day" nor staging any rally, it said, adding that this does not mean that the Nagas have totally forgotten their near and dear ones who lost their lives during the clash.

The reality and outcome of the clash where many innocent people from both sides had to lose their precious lives was that the State Govt.at that time did not take up or provide adequate security measures to ensure safety of the people, the statement charged.

Security escorts were the only measures that were provided security that too only once in a week.

So, organising such protest rally is doubtful to be the handiwork of some vested interest with ill-motivated intention to mislead the general public, the statement alleged, and added that organizing of such rally would only expose more hidden agenda.

Meanwhile, Naga Voices based in Shillong has appealed to Kuki Inpi Manipur and Kuki people to review the decision of holding the protest rally.

In a statement, Joseph A.Kangho, Publicity and Research Wing of Naga Voices, said that the Kuki-Naga clash during 1990s was a conflict on communal lines sparked off by some narrow minded traders in Moreh and fuelled by the inaction of the Manipur Government.

Saying it was not the NSCN(IM) but the Nagas and Kukis in Manipur who were embroiled in that mindless violence, the Naga Voices statement recalled that many were killed, villages burnt and destroyed, thousands rendered homeless in a gruesome and inhuman manner on both sides.

'The victims of the Kuki Rebellion 1917-19 were their fellow tribal Nagas, thousands of whom were massacred by the 2000 Kuki irregulars armed with 600 muzzle loading guns supplied by the Churachand Maharaj of the Meitei Kingdom," it said and added, 'Though termed as the Kuki Rebellion, not a single officer or soldier of the British or the Meitei Maharaja against whom they had rebelled was killed.

It also asked whether the Kuki Inpi statement is targeted negatively towards the Naga solution, which is not only for the NSCN(IM) but for all Nagas.

'Tribals must leave aside their narrow pride and ego and come together to free themselves from the hegemonic suppression by the majority community.

Tribals and the Majority Meitei can be good neighbours after they are separated in governance because the homelands i.e.that of the Meiteis and tribals are contiguous to each other and each have many economic and trade interdependences through which mutual growth and prosperity can be pushed up', it said.

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