CCPUR, February 24: The 27th Raising Day of the Kuki National Organisation was observed today at Kholmun Playground, Churachandpur under the theme “Enlarge your tent and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitation…” an extract from the Bible.
KNO president PS Haokip acted as the chief host.
The program started around 10.30am with most leaders of the 17 groups under the KNO and the Kuki community in attendance.
The chief host said that they grieve for the departed souls of the Kuki leaders who had laid their lives for the cause of the Kuki homeland.
He said that the raising day marks a significant development in their endeavour for unity and strengthening of the people.
He also recalled his meeting with the leadership of the United People Front at Dorcas Hall, New Lamka on November 6, 2012 when he had expressed the significance of unity through a common objective of consolidation with our own ethnic brethren Mizos and Chins.
In this connection, the chief host said that he had proposed naming it Zogam instead of Kuki state.
With the resolution for unity a resolution was taken for a meeting of the KNO and ZORO, northern zone and within six months, the KNO further proposed the same to the UPF on March 14, 2013, when he and R THangmoia had addressed a public gathering. The KNO president also said that the message for unity has reverberated along the length and breadth of Chin hills, Chitagong Hill track, Barrak Valley in Assam and Tripura.
He added “Recently our long lost brethren in Kachin invited the ZORO and KNO to the 30th Shapoawing Yawng Manau Poi, February 12-14, 2014 at Bordumsa, Charang district in Ariunachal Pradesh. The chief host continued and claim that the Kuki and Kachin had journeyed together from China, however, due to confusion the Kachins stayed back while the Kukis march on.
And now that they have discovered their closeness, Kachin cultural troupes had even participated at the UN Day celebration at Moreh on October 24, he said.
The Konyak and the Khimnungan have now realised that they are not Nagas and are severely discriminated in development, he asserted before adding that the Zo people are spread across several states – Tripura, Assam, Manipur and Mizoram.
“We are Mizos in Mizoram, chins in Chinhills, Kachins in Kachin state and Kukis everywhere else and therefore I extort every KNO civil officials, army officers, cadres and Kuki citizens to commit wholeheartedly to the ZORO,” he said.
Talking on the sidelines of the raising day celebration to reporters, KNO spokesperson Dr Seilien Haokip said that the present government at the state and centre are incompetent as they are unable to held or expedite talk with the SoO groups in the six years.
He said that the SoO was signed to facilitate talks but the government are yet to make use of it till date.
The spokesperson answering to a question, said since time immemorial, people of the valley and the hills have lived in harmony; however the British had divided us. He further said the report that the KNO will boycott all Congress candidates is just rumour.
On the question of territory, he said even if it is the Nagas, if their demands do not include the territory of the Kukis, they will not object to it nor support it.