KNO preaches harmony, recalls historical ties

IMPHAL, May 8
Taking serious note of the recent diatribe launched by certain organisations and some individuals against the Kuki in the backdrop of the Mount Koubru stand off, the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) has called for peace and harmony among all communities of the State.
A statement issued by KNO president PS Haokip called upon all to dispel false notions that may mislead the public to engage in activities with undesirable outcomes and maintain cordial relations between Meitei and Kuki, as in days of yore.    
Historical folklore tells of two brothers, Kuki and Meitei. From their mountain dwelling they went in search of other habitable settlements in the valley. The menace of mosquitoes, causing malarial fever and even death, made the valley less appealing to Kuki.   
Less tolerant to the unpleasant condition, Kuki, who, ‘prior to the inception of Pakhangba era, … were known as Chingburoi, (owner of the hills)’, opted to return to their original habitat, the highlands. Meitei, the younger brother, chose to adapt to life in the valley. As they parted, Kuki asked his brother that from time to time he should light a fire (mei = fire, tih = to start a fire) to raise smoke, to signal all was well. Over the years, from mei tih the term ‘Meitei’ evolved, and their new settlement became Kangleipak.    
Folklore of different Kuki tribes, Milhem and Chothe prove Kukis are aborigines of Manipur, the KNO asserted.
The Pooyas, written in Meitei script states, in pre-history Moirang, Chothe Thangvai Pakhangba a Kuki king, known as Ivang Purile Lai Thingri Nachousa ruled for one hundred and twenty years (BC 90 to AD 30). During the ‘Ava war’ in 1810, the Meitei king Chourajit, not equipped to fight his enemy, sought the help of Kuki and famously declared, Chingna koina pansaba, Haona koina panngakpa, Manipur sana leimayol (The hills surround Manipur, the Golden Land; the people of the hills, protect the valley).
In AD 1820, Kukis pitched in to assist King Herachandra prevail against the Ava (Burmese) incursions. The Kukis sent five hundred warriors as there were only three hundred Meiteis to fight.
In the reign of King Chandrakirti (1851-1852), Kamhau, the Sukte Chin King declared war on the Meitei Kingdom. King Chandrakirti, defeated, was taken prisoner to the Chin land. The Kukis sent 1,200 warriors and fought against the Kamhaus, rescued Chandrakirti and restored him to the throne. Following the event, king Chandra- kirti held a grand occasion to honour the Kukis.
More recently, in 1949, 250 Kukis, mostly Haokip chiefs, with muzzle loaders defended king Bodhachandra, who was against merger of Manipur to the Indian Union (Annexation of Manipur 1949, 1995, p.182, Published by the People’s Democratic Movement, Manipur). As a gesture of appreciation, king Bodhachandra honoured the Haokips to settle at Haokip Veng, near Sanjenthong in the heart of Imphal.
Meiteilon and Kuki-Chin dialects clearly speak of the historical and social presence of Kukis in the hill country/hills of Manipur since time immemorial. Dr W Ibohal in his work clearly presented that modern Meiteilon which was in use since 1600 AD was based on medieval Meiteilon and Kuki-Chin languages.
In the views of a Linguist, linguistic dominance can never occur in a short period of time. If Meiteilon could be a product of Medieval Meitei and Kuki-Chin, it would mean that the Kukis were very much present in Manipur much before 1600 AD, PS Haokip said.
“Therefore, we can clearly conclude Kukis were present in Manipur much before 1600 AD, contrary to some self-styled Naga historians representing Kukis in Manipur as arriving by 1850,” he asserted.
He continued, “In the Cheitharol Kumbaba, we find that a Kuki by the name Taothingmang became the King of Manipur in 186 Skabda (264 AD). Again in 33 CE, two Kukis by the name Kuki Ahongba and Kuki Achouba were allies to the Nongba Lairen Pakhangba. King Irengba who reigned Manipur between 1107-1127 AD had contacts with Kuki villages North of Imphal Valley. (Asim Roy, 1997).”
Col Johnstone’s account that Kukis migrated into Manipur only around 1850 refers to the year when he first came in contact with the Kukis, he remarked.
In 1967 during the Khadawmi operation in Burma, between Christmas and the New year, a small population of Kukis were forced to flee to Manipur. The hapless people, treated as refuges, were given humanitarian aid by the Indian Government. Suisa Tangkhul was the Member of Parliament from Outer Manipur at the time. The unfortunate event has been misrepresented to suggest all Kukis are refugees, he decried.
Concerning the apparent impasse over Mount Koubru, from time immemorial, people of the valley have been cordially welcome and even assisted where possible on their pilgrimage. Under no circumstance has this status altered, and neither should it ever.
The bottom line is Kuki and Meitei will remain neighbours as ever, forever. Nothing can change this God given relation. Neither should any party venture to alter the age-old status, the KNO president asserted categorically.
It then said that Kukis have always been the vanguard for Manipur’s territorial integrity.  In the current tripartite engagement with Government of India and Government of Manipur, too, the same is self-evident in the fact that Kukis seek political settlement not only within the Constitutional framework of India, but also within the State of Manipur.  
The KNO further urged the people of Manipur to desist from temptation to spread rumours or malign any community with false allegations and instead channel every grain of energy to promote peace, harmony and equitable development in the State.