IMPHAL, July 4: The Kuki Inpi Manipur today organised a series of rallies demanding justice from the Government of India to “the 905 innocent Kukis killed by the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isac-Muivah) during the ethnic clash 18 years ago. A memorandum was submitted to the Prime Minister through the Governor and the Chief Minister, and through the District Commissioners at eight different places throughout the State. The rally is not against any particular community or UG group; rather it is against the indifference of the Government of India to the plight of the Kukis, who have survived the NSCN – IM’s crime, said Thangsei Haokip general secretary of KIM at the sidelines of the rally in Imphal today. He continued that 61 memorandums have been submitted to the Government of India, but there has been no response so far. KIM’s demands include immediate appraisal of the plight of the victimised Kukis, and the Government of India must first examine the war crimes of the NSCN-IM in a proper law court of the country before any agreement is arrived at between the central government and the NSCN-IM, said Thangsei. If ever an agreement is arrived between the Government of India and the NSCN – IM before Kukis are given their long due justice, there could be civil unrest in the northeast of India, Thangsei cautioned. He alleged that the Government of India had remained as a mute spectator when the NSCN-IM allegedly murdered 905 innocent Kukis, including children, women and the old aged and also uprooted 360 villages to snatch away the lands and displaced 100,000 Kuki people who are still unable to go back to their own villages. The memorandum also included 24 pictures of NSCN-IM’s genocidal act on the Kuki people. Around 2200 people gathered at the THAU Ground and took out the procession in the city. Around 4500 people participated in the rally at Kangpokpi. At Saikul about 5000 came out to take part in the meeting and the procession while more than 3000 rallied from Mongneljang to Yaingangpokpi in Ukhrul district. Rally was also taken out at Moreh and Tengnoupal with participation of 4500 and 6000 people respectively, according to the data provided by the organisers. In the Saikul area under Senapati district, the president Kuki Inpi Saikul block Thangkam Lupheng said “we are demanding justice for those innocent Kuki people who were targeted by NSCN (IM). If the Government of India treats Kuki people as their own citizen, it is appealed to the present NDA government that justice must be done, as the issue was raised when the NDA was in power last.” He further said that until and unless the problem of innocent Kuki people killed and displaced from their native village are not addressed, there cannot be any solution to the Naga issue. Jiribam correspondent adds: The Kuki Inpdi Manipur, Jiribam and Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO), taken out a peace rally at Jiribam sub-division. The rally was in response to the call of the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) to hold a peaceful protest rally to air grievances over the indifferent attitude of India towards the plight of the Kukis who had endured the criminal and genocidal acts of the NSCN-IM in 1990s. The rally which started from Phaitol village, Tousem sub-division was foiled by the Gularthon by the Jiribam police from further proceeding citing Crpc 144 imposed in the district. Later, the demonstrators submitted a memorandum to the ADC addressing the Prime Minister of India. During the rally the demonstrators displayed placards saying, “We demand immediate settlement of victimised Indian Kukis before any agreement is arrived with NSCN-IM”, “We do not opposed Naga solution, but our case must be settle first”, “No fencing in the middle of independent hills country, are Kukis not citizen of India”.
