Manipur: Kuki-Zo community to reassert their Indian identity on Independence Day

The Kuki-Zo community will reassert their Indian identity on the Independence Day on Tuesday amid aspersions allegedly cast on their nationality by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The community has decided to seize the occasion to make an emphatic statement to “debunk” the narrative Shah has lent credence to.

Echoing the views of the Manipur government as well as Meitei civil society organisations, Shah in his recent statement in Parliament traced the genesis of the current ethnic strife in Manipur to the influx of Kuki refugees from Myanmar following the 2021 military coup in the neighbouring country.

‘No link with influx’

“The Kuki Inpi, Manipur, strongly deplores the statement made by the Union home minister during the Monsoon Session of Parliament (August 9),” the apex body of the Kuki tribe said in a statement, taking strong exception to Shah’s observation.

“The present carnage in Manipur has no link whatsoever with the much-hyped influx of Kukis into Manipur or Mizoram…Besides, Kukis who are living outside Manipur have no influence to create trouble back home,” it added. It further reminded the role played by the community to India’s freedom struggle by joining the Indian National Army (INA).

“Propagandas are afloat to portray us as illegal migrants and refugees. This needs to be strongly refuted and we are going to do that on the 77th Independence Day of our country,” said Zomi Council Steering Committee convenor Langkhan Pau.

Zomi council is the apex body of Kuki and other communities from the same ethnic stock, collectively called Zo. The council is the main organiser of the I-Day celebration of the community. The main function will be held at the public ground at Churachandpur from 11 am.

“On the occasion, the Zo ethnic community, both young and old, shall reaffirm our allegiance to the Indian nation, its constitution and the Indian National Flag, while solemnly affirming to defend the Indian nation and its territories --- of which our Zo ancestral lands of present-day Manipur are an integral part --- from all evil forces, internal or external,” the Council said.

Youth to lead march

The “central defence force” comprising youth volunteers guarding the “Zomi territory” will lead the march past contingent. The tricolour will be hoisted by Pi Nengzahoi, wife of late pastor Sehkhohao, one of the first known victims of the current strife from the Kuki-Zo community.

Central Young Mizo Association president R Lalngheta will be the chief guest on the occasion. Mizos are the ethnic cousins of Kuki-Zo community and are standing with the latter in the current conflict. Hence, Lalngheta’s presence at the function will have an added significance.

The council will convene the programme once the official function to the organised by the district administration will get over in the nearby Peace Ground by 10 am.

I-Day boycott call

On the other hand, several valley-based insurgent groups as usual gave a call to boycott the celebration claiming that the ongoing ethnic violence in the state is the result of “divisive” policy of India and use of “hate game” and “hate crime” as part of the counter insurgency operation.

To enforce its boycott call, the coordination committee (CorCom) of the seven Meitei insurgent groups also declared “general strike” in the state on August 15. It further asked people of Manipur to understand as to why the world’s fourth largest military power is unable to resolve the current conflict in over three months.

“The Manipur people should now understand that the huge deployment of Indian forces is not the solution but a ploy for the Indian military build-up in the fragile region,” the coordination committee said in a statement.

Terming annexation of the kingdom with the Indian union in 1949 as “illegal”, the conglomerate has been demanding sovereignty of Manipur for decades. It boycotts India’s national celebrations every year. This year it is using the current conflict to further push its anti-India narrative.

Another valley-based proscribed conglomerate Alliance for Socialist Unity, Kangleipak (ASUK) gave a separate boycott and strike call on the Independence Day.

Call for self-defence

Blaming “alien rule” for the ongoing ethnic violence in the state, the ASUK said Meitei people had forgotten their “strategic culture of self-defence” as people were believing India would protect them. “But when Kuki-Zo combatants attacked, no Indian soldier came to protect Meitei people,” it alleged egging the community to adopt a “sound strategy and policy of self-defence”.

The twin boycott calls will dampen the I-Day celebration preparations for which are underway in the capital Imphal amid heightened security.

Meanwhile, Manipur Tribals’ Forum, Delhi took to Twitter to inform that “tribals will officially declare ‘freedom’ from these proscribed secessionists forces/outfits and Meitei chauvinists who had subjugated us for decades, for all time to come, on August 15 by celebrating our Independence Day with #HarGhar Tiranga (Sic).”

“We are not second-class citizens of India. So, stop treating us like one,” it added.