Imphal, May 05: "The Kuki National Organisation (KNO), on behalf of the beleaguered Kuki people, strongly deplores the proposed visit of Th. Muivah to Manipur. Indeed, it's astonishing on the part of the government of the day to give a 'green signal' to this ruthless criminal's visit."

This was stated by Secretary, Information and Publicity, KNO, Lenin H Kuki in a press release issued today.
He said, "It may be recalled that due to Muivah's Machiavellian and nihilistic design, Manipur valley had witnessed a bloodbath in 2001, in which more than a dozen Manipuri lives had been lost. What is more gory is that Muivah's so-called rhetorical 'Nagaland for Christ' and 'Ethnic Cleansing' program
 against the Kukis had claimed thousands of Kuki innocent lives, uprooted thousands of houses, let alone those maimed, orphaned and widowed, which remains the most tragic catastrophe in the history of the peace-loving Kukis of the North-east region."

"Mention may also be made that the Kuki people, in defense of their forefathers' land had sacrificed their precious lives against the aggressors-the British during the 'Great Kuki Invasion of 1860s', the Anglo-Kuki War/Kuki Rising of 1917-1919, et al for no faults of theirs, but for the cause of their inherent land and freedom (Zalenna)," the press release stated.

"In the recent past, various Kuki civil society groups, particularly human rights group, had been demanding the prosecution of Muivah at the UN's War Crimes Tribunal for his genocidal campaign against the Kukis since 1960s till the mid 1990s. However, the perpetrators remain scot-free till today. This clearly indicates the callous and apathetic attitude of both the state and central government vis-a-vis the Kukis," Lenin H Kuki said.

"The NSCN (IM)'s brutal and systematic murder of the Kuki people and prominent Naga leaders and nationalists must focus both the government's and peace-loving citizens' attention on the horror of genocide, thereby delivering justice to the victims must be a top priority."

"The KNO is of the opinion that until and unless justice is meted out to the victimized Kukis in the form of political dialogue to solve the Kuki issue, any sort of peace and security initiatives/measures taken by the government in the North-East India would be futile. As such, before venturing into any final elusive peaceful settlement with Muivah-led NSCN (IM), it is pertinent on the part of the government to find a lasting solution to the Kuki problem," the press release said.

~ Hueiyenlanpao news