NSUD scoffs at ancestral land tag

Newmai News Network
IMPHAL, Oct 16: Naga Students’ Union Delhi (NSUD) alleged that  "so called Anglo-Kuki War of 1917-19" with the slogan “In Defence of Our Ancestral Land and Freedom” as "unethical act of few" organizations of a community who are "repetitively distorting" the history and claiming to be indigenous peopleof Manipur. "This claim is totally baseless and unacceptable as it challenges the established history which everyone is aware of and is clear as water".
According to the NSUD, Kukis are non-indigenous recent Immigrants to Manipur. "The name Kuki was heard for the first time in Manipur between 1830 to 1840 A.D. The
reign of Maharaj Nara Singh 1844 - 185 AD may be remembered for the arrival and settlement of Kukis in Manipur. They fled and arrived in Manipur as they were driven
northwards by powerful tribes of Burma (now Myanmar)," said the NSUD. "It was King Nara Singh entrusted to him the work of settling the Kuki immigrants in Manipur".
Historian RK Jhalajit Singh (Padmashri) also gave the same information as written by Maj- General Sir James Johnstone in his book “Manipur and Naga Hills” Page 45, pointed out the NSUD.
"He wrote 'The new immigrants began to cause anxiety about the year 1845 and soon poured into the hill tract of Manipur in such members, as to drive away many older inhabitants'”, according to the NSUD. However, under the British protection Mc Culloch settled them down allotting to them lands in different places with the permission and blessings of the Maharaja. Some Kukis were made irregular troop, others were told off to carry loads according to the custom of the State, the NSUD added.
According to the Naga student body, the Maharaja also gave them permission to settle and later three SADAR (Selected Area Development Administrative Regions) circles were established particularly for Kuki population. Churachandpur was SADAR Circle No. 3. (Details see: S.C.Vaiah, Deputy Commissioner, Manipur letter dated June 6th, 1968).
The NSUD then said it is not against the commemoration of "Anglo-Kuki War 1917-19 but “distorting of history with a malafide intention to create communal tension under the concocted nomenclature the "Anglo-Kuki War 1917-19" and the proposed inscription 'in defense of our ancestral land and freedom' with the only intention of grabbing the ancestral land of the aboriginal communities living in the State of Manipur is a major issue which is anti-thesis to the peaceful co-existence. NSUD with other Organizations will not allow the event to take place". The NSUD then said that Kukis claimed that they are indigenous settlers of the present areas of Manipur. "But their history, folklore and folk songs (and legends) say that they are like eagles flying from place to place. Moreover, they have claimed strongly in recent times that they are descendants of the lost tribe of Manasseh and therefore wandering about with no real indigenous status anywhere in the world except Israel and have heavily migrated to Israel," said the NSUD, adding, "This has contradicted themselves completely by saying they are indigenous tribe of Manipur and also that they are wandering lost tribe of Manasseh who are now migrating back to Israel". Hence, their status is only migrant status and is very well in congruence with Colonial Writers and accounts of the Maharaja, the NSUD added.
Meanwhile, taking cognizance of the "possibility of social tension and unrest" which will affect the peaceful co-existence of many communities in Manipur, the State Government of
Manipur has asked the organizers for the deletion of “in defense of our ancestral land and freedom”, inscribed in the Memorial Stone of the Centenary Commemoration of "Anglo-Kuki War 1917-19", said the NSUD.
The NSUD thanked Chief Minister, N. Biren Singh for the "timely" action which will be long remembered by the student body.
"NSUD, therefore, reiterates that any move to infringe on the land and identity of the Nagas will not be tolerated and warn those organizations not to play any communal card which will hamper the trust, respect and peace in the State," it added.