Imphal: Kukis, while demanding their Separate Administration, must not drag indigenous communities that have their own ‘Yek-salai’ (indigenous blood relation), the Federation of Haomee said and warned against including them in the Kuki community.
The federation demonstrated a protest at Manipur Press Club, here, on Tuesday.
The Federation of Haomee is a civil body formed by various ethnic communities of Manipur.
President of the civil body, Sapamcha Jadumani, said the Kuki community must not drag indigenous communities of Manipur into their demand for Separate Administration.
He warned that the strategy of including indigenous community villages into the Kuki demand must be avoided immediately.
“Kuki can demand their separate administration, but not inside Manipur,” jadumani said.
Manipur has been home to various different indigenous communities, including Meitei, Naga, and its sub-tribes, among others. However, MLA Paominlen Haokip sent a letter to the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, misleading the commission by stating that different indigenous tribes of Manipur residing in Kangpokpi district, including Aimol, Thangal, Chiru, Maring, Kom, Kharam, Koireng, and others, are supporting the Kuki’s demand, he added.
The federation will send a letter to the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes to ignore Paominlen Haokip’s letter.
Paominlen Haokip, who is also an MLA in the Biren-led government, must clarify and apologize to the Federation of Haomee within 5 days. The federation will lodge a police complaint if Paominlen fails to do so within the deadline, he added.
S. Johnson of the Thangal Tribe, who is also the chief of Tumnoupokpi village in Kangpokpi district, said Paominlen included their village while demanding the ‘Separate Administration’. He said that their village cannot be included in Nagaland.
Allen Thangnga, village chairman of Kangchup Chiru, said the community has been residing in Manipur as an indigenous tribe since Manipur was merged to India. The community strongly denies the inclusion of Kangchup Chiru village in the Kuki demand for separate administration. He strongly condemned the Kuki community for converting Kangchup Chiru into a warzone in the ongoing crisis.
Federation of Haomee said in the last 3,000 years of history, there has been no mention of Kuki hills in Manipur. It said Kukis can make their demand for separate administration, but not in Manipur, suggesting Israel or Myanmar instead.
Kukis should remember that the Refugee Fund of 1973 was established for Kuki refugees. Kukis are not Adivasis, so they cannot demand Scheduled Tribe status in the country, it added.
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