Dimapur, June 15 (MExN): The Kuki National Organization, an armed rebel group who call their ‘ancestral territory’ Zalengam, today dished out servings of both sweet and bitter words for the NSCN (I-M). On the one hand, it lauded the “NSCN (IM)’s commendable exercise of stating the facts to the public regarding the recent developments in and around the border town of Moreh in Manipur, as a responsible neutral observer.”
But the more potent message, contained in a statement issued by KNO spokesman T Stephen Kuki, reads: “Today, if the NSCN (IM) relents and give up its claim on Kuki ancestral lands as forming part of Nagalim, issue an unconditional apology over their misguided actions of killing more than 900 innocent Kuki villagers and displacing tens of thousands of others, and proactively advocate and facilitate the resettlement of the Kuki villagers displaced by their genocidal campaign, the KNO, in heaven’s name and for the love of peace and progress, is ready to forgive them and shall keep the doors open for future cooperation in the twin struggles to redeem the right to self- determination and self-rule, respectively for the Kuki and Naga peoples.”
Regarding the GPRN statement that the ‘Kukis in Nagaland are very much Nagas and within the Naga fold’, the KNO made their stand clear that “Kukis in Nagaland are recognized as one of the indigenous tribes of Nagaland, and not as a Naga tribe, as suggested in the NSCN (IM) statement.”
The Kuki group also made historical references by including names of Kuki revolutionaries who participated in the Naga struggle, dating back to the Naga Club and early NNC days.
“The Kukis of Nagaland have been given equal rights, opportunities, and protection as bona fide denizens of the land, and with the freedom to uphold their Kuki identity,” the statement said.
“However, since 1990s, in Nagaland more than one hundred fifty (150) Kukis of all ages have been killed and 14 (Fourteen) villages have been burnt down mainly due to outside influences. All these kinds of inhuman treatments occurred although the Kuki Inpi in Nagaland time and again clarified that the Kukis of Nagaland neither subscribe nor extend moral support to the Kuki movement outside Nagaland.”
“The KNO also hereby state that any/all Naga tribes living within Kuki ancestral territory, Zalengam, will be accorded equal status, rights, opportunity, and protection as any Kuki tribe with the freedom to preserve their Naga identity. The relationship between Kuki and Naga peoples has been characterized by historical affinity, mutual respect, understanding, and not only peaceful but also cooperative co-existence.”
The KNO, while stating that it harbours no ill-will towards the Naga people, appealed to the NSCN (IM) “to henceforth discard the parochial ideology it has been pursuing.”
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