Don't sell lies : Naga body to 'Kuki elders'
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 25 2024: Educate your younger generations on how they were settled in this region and cease your habitual actions of distorting history and making false claims to the world, said the Manipur Naga Youth Organization (MNYO) to "Kuki elders" today.

The MNYO made the statement reacting to a threat to Tangkhul Naga leader Ashang Kasar on social media which also asserted that the "Nagas have no claim to land in Manipur" .

In a statement today, the MNYO said the recent threat to Ashang Kasar on social media with the assertion that the "Nagas have no claim to land in Manipur" is not just disturbing but profoundly unsettling, and has the potential to "sow discord among us" .

"This constitutes a blatant insult to the Naga community as a whole.

We urge Kuki elders to educate their younger generation on how they settled in this region by paying taxes to Nagas," said the MNYO, adding the Naga community has supporting proof and documented evidence.

"We staunchly advocate calling a spade a spade, underscoring the critical importance of addressing issues with precision and sensitivity to prevent the perpetuation of misunderstandings and the reinforcement of damaging preconceived notions.

Continuously aggravating these historical wounds with such statements is unwise," it said.

The Manipur Naga Youth Organisation further pointed out a video posted on "Kukiland" page on social media warned members of the Kuki community against "distorting history" .

The video, posted in March 2020 with the title "Statue of Tangkhul-Naga Depicting Their Slavery Under Kukis" is misleading and a distortion of history, it said.

The seven-pillar statue at the Heritage site symbolizes unity among the various clans of Shirui Village, and any misrepresentation by the Kuki community is not just regrettable but unacceptable, it said.

"Cease your habitual actions of distorting history and making false claims to the world, as this only fuels confusion among the young Kuki generation, potentially leading to baseless claims in the future," said MNYO.

Such acts are perceived as an attempt to provoke a dormant situation, and "our past silence" should not be misconstrued as permanence.

Therefore, the Kuki community should refrain from instigating unnecessary conflicts, it said.

"We sternly caution our esteemed Kuki brethren to take heed, as Naga youth will not remain silent against any threats directed at Naga individuals.

Kuki intellectuals must actively combat such threats in their society to avert a repetition of past occurrences," said MNYO.

It urged for both the communities to engage in a robust and constructive dialogue that would build bridges and dismantle walls, thereby avoiding harm and dispelling unfounded assumptions.

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