'Halt fresh ST certificate to Kuki-Chin'
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, January 15 2024: Meetei (Meitei) Tribe Union (MMTU) and Manipur International Youth Centre (MIYC) have strongly urged the state administration to stop issuing fresh ST certificate to non-native Kuki-Chin people settling in Manipur, contending that they have grabbed employment, admission and other welfare schemes by virtue of getting listed in ST category.

The two organisations also appealed all government departments to thoroughly study and keep strict vigil in recruitment and promotion as also in admission process and awarding scholarship to non-native people.

Entire indigenous communities settling in Manipur since time immemorial in both hills and valley should collectively fight against inclusion of outsiders in ST list and population war being waged against the indigenous people, a joint statement of MMTU and MIYC said.

According to the joint statement, settlement of lakhs of non-indige-neous people in both hills and valley areas of Manipur is a well-established fact known to the people.

Around 15 communities belonging to Kuki tribe were listed as STs in the year 1956 which increased to 34 communities now following listing of 'Any Kuki tribe' and 'Any Mizo tribe'.

The state cabinet had taken the decision to remove 'Any Kuki tribe' and 'Any Mizo tribe' in year 2018 and 2023 and the same was also intimated to the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

According, the ministry sent a letter to the state government on December 26, 2023 seeking detailed information about communities who are ineligible to get ST status.

Apart from this, the Supreme Court of India also ruled that non-indigenous communities are not entitled to get ST status, the joint statement said adding that Kuki-Chin communities coming from outside illegally and settled in Manipur have no characteristics to be listed in ST.

In his reply to a question raised by O Joy in the Manipur Legislative Assembly session on March 11, 1987, the then (late) chief minister Rishang Keishing replied that Kuki-Mizo communi ties newly settled in Manipur do not figure in ST list and they were not entitled to get opportunities including reservation quota under ST.

During the time, an organisation called "The Kuki Tribe Recognisation Demand Committee' even submitted memoranda to the then Prime Minister of India and other national leaders for inclusion of the communities in ST list.

Population of Kuki-Mizo during the time was only around 85,000.When there was President's Rule in Manipur in 2001-2002, some Kuki leaders and bureaucrats sent recommendation for inclusion of Kuki-Mizo tribes in ST list to the Government of India and accordingly 'Any Kuki tribe' and 'Any Mizo tribe' were incorporated in ST list of Manipur.

The joint statement of MMTU and MIYC further said that Kuki refugees from Myanmar are settled in hill districts of Manipur as could be comprehended from the communication (through documents) in the year 1968 between the then Deputy Commissioner of Imphal Valley and SDOs of Ukhrul and Tengnoupal.

It also said that India's Foreigners Act, 1946 could stop influx of foreigners particularly Kuki immigrants from Myanmar into Manipur and more than 2 lakh foreigners mainly Kuki tribes have now settled in Chandel, Tengnoupal, Churachandpur and Kangpokpi districts while number of unrecognised villages increased in these districts are more than 1,600.In the year 2011, Kuki tribes comprised only 16 percent of the total population of Manipur but now it is 30 percent with more foreigners belonging to Kuki tribes continuing to trickle in.

Till the year 1972-73, there was hot a single Kuki village in Moreh but the Kukis forcibly evicted Kom, Rongmei, Tangkhul and Meetei people from the border town and grabbed land, politics and economy of the border town in their firm hands.

Indigenous communities of Manipur have nothing to lose reservation and other opportunities when the Meetei community is listed in ST and the Meeteis have nothing to take away from them, the joint statement said and stressed the need for fighting threats and challenges from outsiders collectively while reconciling misunderstanding and suspicion of the past.

The joint statement further said that late Naga leaders Rungsung Suisha and Rishang Keishing wanted to include Meetei/Meitei in ST list for having an egalitarian society in Manipur.

Late Rishang Keishing had even talked about geo-politics, land and socio-economic conditions of the Meeteis settling in the valley after few decades and his visionary ideas were shared with many people while he was alive, the joint statement added.

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