KIM reiterates Statehood demand
Source: The Sangai Express

Kangpokpi, August 07 2017: Just two days before the third round of the political talks between Kuki armed groups under SoO pact and the Government of India including the State Government, a meeting was initiated by the Kuki Inpi Manipur today at Kuki Inn, Imphal .

The meeting was attended by every Kuki civil society organizations and jointly adopted on several resolutions .

Firstly, it resolved that the political demands of the Kuki people beginning with the first memorandum regarding Statehood for the Kuki people, which the Kuki National Assembly submitted to the then Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in 1964 has consistently remained .

Secondly, it resolved that the same demand was reiterated at the Kuki Nampi Conclave at Haipi on August 28-29, 2015 and the Haipi Declaration for Statehood was further ratified .

Thirdly, it resolved that preceding the Haipi Declaration was the Delhi Declaration adopted on September 2, 2010 in which every existing Kuki revolutionary organizations at the time participated .

Fourthly, it also resolved that the Kuki SoO groups are reassured that Kuki people within India have always stood for self-determination in the form of a State under the ambit and Union of India and the same stands reaffirmed today .

Accordingly, "we urge the delegation representing the Kuki armed Nationalist under SoO with the Government of India to unequivocally present the Kuki people's demand for Statehood at the upcoming tripartite meeting scheduled on August 9 at New Delhi," it said and added that any departure from this long standing political position of the Kuki people will be deemed a betrayal of Kuki people and their aspirations .

It further said that 2017 being the centennial year of the forefather's defence of Kuki territories and freedom against British incursion in the 'Kuki Uprising of 1917-1919, we urge the Government of India to finally recognize our long standing political demands, our birth-right to self- determination by the creation of a State for the Kuki people under the Indian Union" .

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