IMPHAL, Jan 19: Stating the Kuki peoples’ political aspirations and constitutio-nal rights could be realised only with the creation of an autonomous state under the relevant articles and pro-visions of the Indian statute book, the Kuki National Or-ganisation (KNO) has con- veyed its readiness for an early peaceful political dialogue.
In a statement issued by its information and publicity secretary Lenin H Kuki, the KNO said that even as the State is celebrating its 38th Statehood Day on Ja-nuary 21, the plight of Kuki people has been spinning from bad to worse due to the discriminatory policies and step-motherly treatment by the successive State Governments.
It opined that the volatile nature and ethno-centric politics or a strong sense of ethno-nationalism in the North East region could not be simply ignored by New Delhi.
“As such, if the Gorkhas of Darjeeling Hills, the Bodos, the Karbis, Dimasas of Assam and Garos of Me-ghalaya voice their political rights and demand in the form of separate statehood, why not the Kukis of Manipur?”, the KNO asked.
Expressing doubt about the Government of India ever redressing the grievances of ethnic minorities, the outfit asserted that the ill-conceived notions and wrong policies framed and initiated by New Delhi upon the people of North East region inevitably encouraged and sustained armed movements.
The Government of India dismally failed to listen to the demand for separate statehood spearheaded by the Kuki National Assembly during the 60’s and 70’s through democratic channels and non-violent means. The Kuki people in defence of their freedom and land fought against the British during the ‘Great Kuki Invasion of 1860s’ and the Kuki Rising of 1917-1919. During World War II, in a bid to regain their freedom from the British, the Kukis sided with the Axis Power of which the Indian National Army was a part, it said.
KNO ready for meaningful dialogue
