Today, the kuki are hardly remembered as the same people who had played prominent roles at various juncture of history. They are the people whose past had been a story of warlords, Chieftains, heroic struggles and sacrifice. They are perhaps denied the place they deserve in the history, particularly of the recent past.
Perverted minds have projected the Kukis as a people with no significant history. This is utter nonsense, and rather a manipulation of historical facts. The Kukis should be given a fair deal before such distortion of history crosses the limit. There is hardly any serious acknowledgement of the existence of kuki living space or lebensraum. This might be owing to lack of information or lack of enthusiasm on the part of academics and others concerned.
Kuki lebensraum is the 'land of freedom', a land where one can freely move about. The linguistic survey of India, Vol. III, part III, by G.A. Grierson, published in 1904 by government of India, provides a general idea of the geographical spread of kukis' living space. An excerpt is reproduced as follows:
"Territory inhabited by the kuki tribes extends from the Naga Hills in the North down into the Sandoway district of Burma in the south; from the Myattha River in the east, almost to the Bay of Bengal in the west."
Who are the Kukis?
The tribes Aimol, Anal, Chiru, Chongloi, Chothe, Hangsing, Doungel, Gangte, Guite, Haokip, Hmar, Kipgen, Kom, Lhungdim, Lamkang, Lunkim, Changsan, Lenthang, Thangeo, Kolhen, Lhangum, Lhanghal, Milhem, Maring, Mate, Mozo-Monshang, Paite, Sitlhon, Lhouvum and Singsit, Simte, Baite Tarao, Touthang, Vaphei, Zou etc., may loosely be put under one egalitarian ethnic entity called Kukis.
However, some of these tribes mentioned above have been assimilated into Naga. This is because of a fear psychosis perpetrated by the bloody ethnic cleansing carried out by the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM). However, they are racking back their genealogy to define themselves as Kuki or Naga.
Freedom and Sovereignty was what Kukis possessed in their land. Their territory stretch from the Chindwin River in the east, the Naga Hills in the north, North Cachar Hills in the west and the Chittagong hill tracts in the south. Until about a century ago these hills were not largely populated. The Kukis reigned supreme over these hills and moved about freely as an eagle in flight.
The erstwhile kuki lebensraum, as indicated earlier, still remains identifiable. By signing the treaty of 1834, the British handed over a huge part of it to Burma (Myanmar), only in order to appease the Burmese king. The kukis resisted the British advance into the Chittagong hills and lower Assam during 1840s to 1860s. But they could not withstand the colonial might and were pushed into the eastern interiors. Nevertheless, every now and then the kukis continued to menace the British imperialistic designs. Therefore, the British instituted a boundary commission to weaken kuki, and so ignoring their living space, demarcation between Manipur (India) and Burma came into effect in 1898. By this demarcation the kukis were put under two separate administrations and their territory was dismembered.
During First World War, the Kukis started rising with a new vigour against the British, whish lasted for here years (1917-1919). This time, too, the kukis could not do any substantial damage to the mighty British Empire. They suffered untold miseries and vigorous repression at the hands of the British. Then, in the early 1940's, hundreds of kukis joined the Indian army(I) and fought the British, yet again. More than one hundred and fifty ina pensioners are still alive.
Both India and Burma were given political emancipation in 1947. Even then the same political dispensation of the British raj continued. Administrative arrangements of the previous colonial regime became the edifice upon which the new orders were built. The boundary lines of the new nations and their states fragmented the entire kuki lebensraum. This is a tragic reality. To make matters worse a series of ill conceived, half-hearted, myopic, legislations and policies made things worse for the kukis, both in India and Myanmar.
The state law and order restoration committee (SLORC) of Myanmar have been exacting forced labour from the kukis in the Kabow Valley. Many kukis have been dispossessed of their land by the Myanmar army; for instance, waksu village was completely wiped out in 1992. In 1967, the government of the revolutionary council, headed by Ne-Win, severely punished 20,000 kukis in the 'Khadawmi operation'. This operation, which was led by U Muangi, was carried out under the pretext that these kukis were holding bogus national registration and family registration cards.
Consequently, many kukis were forced to leave Burma even though they were natives of the country. In the beginning of 1993, Nung Kam , a kuki village was burnt and bulldozed, and in its place, 'Saya San Ywo', a new military settlement was set up. The ostensible reason for this was that kukis refused to convert to Buddhism. The kuki students' democratic front, Burma, has been highlighting these human rights violations committed by SLORC. All these incidents of harassment and discrimination by the Myanmar military regime have been a matter of great concern.
In the recent past the Kukis entered a most gloomy phase when the NSCN-IM started its ethnic cleansing campaign against them, particularly in the hills of Manipur. This process of ethnic cleansing, which began in 1992, wiped out hundreds of Kuki villages and eliminated over a thousand innocent Kukis. The victims included prominent Kuki Chiefs, leaders and educated youths. This was perhaps done as a strategy to instill a kind of fear psychosis in the minds of all the Kukis.
The NSCN-IM also extracted land tax from the Kukis, even though they had inhabited the land since time immemorial. One can easily verify this truth from the folk tales and legends of the Meiteis, Mizos, Awas (Burmese), Tripuris and Ahoms (Assamese).
Discontentment, sufferings and frustration led the Kukis to resort to armed resistance. But, they are a people who really love to live in peace and dignity. They believe in communal harmony whether it is in the Indian states of Manipur, Nagaland, Assam, Tripura, Mizoram or in Myanmar (Burma).
Kukis armed insurgency movement is the result of cummulative effect of Naga insurgency coupled with its integration movement in North-East. Issues on Naga's territorial integration has created a serious problem in Kukis integrity in north-East. Now, kukis are tracing back their geneology with the help of Culture, Folk-tales etc. They can't forget age old Naga- Kuki clashes and ethnic cleansing. Any attempt to pamper Nagas at the cost of Kuki's interest will not be tolerated and may lead only to violent uprising. Home Ministry should put up the Kuki's problem on the table before Centre and NSCN(IM) peace talk. Only then, Centre can regain the gradually losing faith of peace loving Kukis.
In Conckusion:
Kuki identity should be protected,
Kuki dignity should be maintained
Kuki socio-politico-economic rights should be safeguared
Kukitradition and culture should be respected,and above all Kuki Lebensraum must be recognized.Then, and only then, will the Kukis be able to live in peace and dignity in their Lebensraum, i.e. between Chindwin(Myanmar) and Brahmputra (India).
Apr 26, 2007
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ABOUT ME
- Letminlen Haokip
- New Delhi, Delhi, India
- Kalem Uve!I am a student from Delhi University,brought up this site to acknowledge the forgotten Past-herioc Kuki Warriors.I am dedicated and patriotic chap with perseverance to fight for the cause of the Kuki people.I would like to take this opportunity to cal all my comrades to come forward and express views and opinion pertaining to the Kuki socio-political promblems arising in our present generation.Come on!! TAH CHAPA'S ! TAH CHANU'S!!with a revolutionary attitude,militant in action and a nationalist in outlook to rescue the Kuki people shattered dreams of chaos,confusion and dis-integration Awake!! comrades,the KUKI nation needs you!!!!
ABOUT MUVANLAI
Muvanlai is synonimous with the Kuki people.Muvanlai literally means an "Eagle".An Eafle comfortably gliding over its territory without any restriction is an apt anology in order to get the correct meaning.This,precisely was what the Kuki-life in the past millenium.Freedom and sovereignity was what the Kuki posessed in their land,Zale'n-gam.
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Helpline Numbers:
Delhi West - 9810554901,
Delhi South - 9818314146,
Delhi North - 9911886062.
Central Coordinating
Helpline -9868184939
Fax 011-42811185
Email nesupportcentre@gmail.com,
Fax +911142811185
HOW TO FILE FIR
Simple way to file FIR
http://www.nehelpline.net/
THE KSOD MEGA RALLY
A KUKI COUPLE IN THE 18TH CENTURY
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HAVE MERCY ON US! O MOTHER INDIA!!
BOOKS ON THE KUKIS
- The Lost Tribe of Isreal
- The Thadou-Kukis : William Shaw
- The Kukis of Manipur:By Dr.T.S Gangte
- Kuki Disturbances in Tripura, 1860-61 By:Nalini Ranjan Roychowdhury
- Souvenir : The Benei Menashe Council, India By:L Henkhogin Haokip
- The Kukis of Tripura : a socio-economic survey By:Ram Gopal Singh
- A hand book of Kuki custom:By C.G Crawford
- The Lushia-Kuki Clans By Lt.Col William J.Shakespear
- In search of identity: By H Khamkenthang Kuki-Chin Baptist Union
- The Indigenous World 2002-2003 By Diana Vinding
- Low Intensity Conflicts in India: An Analysis By Vivek Chadha
- Human Rights in the New World Order By Shamsi, Nayyar
- The Inductions of Ethics and the Ethics of Individual Life By Herbert Spencer
- Tribal Situation and Development in Central India By Shiv Kumar Tiwari
- The Anthropology of North-East India: A Textbook By Tanka Bahadur Subba, G. C. Ghosh
- Unrepresented Nations & Peoples Organization, Yearbook 1995 By Mary Kate Simmons
- Hill Politics in North-east India By Shibani Kinkar Chaube
- The Sino-Tibetan Languages By Graham Thurgood, Randy J. LaPolla
- History of Human Marriage Part 3 By Edward Westermarck
- Politico-Economic Development of the Tribals of Manipur: A Study of the Zomis By Guite, Chinkholian
- Social Movements in North-East India By Mahendra Narain Karna
- The Schedule Tribes of India
- Land Rights of the Indigenous Peoples of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh By Rajkumari Chandra Roy
- The Purums: An Old Kuki Tribe of Manipur : By Tarakchandra Das
- Authority and Legitimacy: A Study of the Thadou-Kukis in Manipur By Asok Kumar Ray
- WHY MUST WE BE MIZO? By Priyadarshni (alias Tingneihoih) M. Gangte
- Between Ethnography and Fiction: Verrier Elwin and the Tribal Question in India By Tanka Bahadur Subba, Sujit Som, K. C. Baral
- Policing India in the New Millennium By P. J. Alexander
- Indian and Oriental Armour By Lord Egerton, Wilbraham Egerton Egerton, Indian Museum
- Unfamiliar relations: Family and History in South Asia
- Encyclopaedia of Indian Tribes By Shyman Singh Shashi
- Miscellaneous Papers Relating to Indo-China By Reinhold Rost
- An ethnographic survey of the Kuki-Chin-speaking peoples of the Assam-Burma border
- The North East Frontier 1837-1901 ByIan Heath
- Bleeding Manipur: By Phanjoubam Tarapot
- My Experiences in Manipur and the Naga Hills By James Johnstone
- My Experiences in Manipur and the Naga Hills By James Johnstone
- India and the World: Selected Articles from IDSA Journals By N. S. Sisodia, Sujit Dutta
- Miscellaneous Notes on the Kuki of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Pakistan By:Claude Levi-Strauss
- Origin and Growth of Christianity in Tripura: With Special Reference to the ... By Sukhendu Debbarma
- A short account of the Kuki-Lushai tribes on the north-east frontier : (districts Cachar, Sylhet, Nága Hills, etc., and the north Cachar Hills), with an outline grammar of the Rangkhol-Lushai language and a comparison of Lushai with other dialects
UNITY IN DIVERSITY
ARE WE THE LOST TRIBE OF ISREAL??
KUKI ARMED MOVEMENT
KUKI BEAUTY ON THE RAMP
HEAR OUR CRIES !!!! MR.SMS! (SARDAR MANMOHAN SINGH)
DO INDIA LOVE COMMUNALISM???
A NEW HOPE, A NEW DREAM FOR THE KUKIS
WE WANT REFERENDUM!!!!!!!!
MARCHING TO THE CALL OF NATION
MOL LE LHANG SANG JONG NAMPI THUPEH JUI LOU THEI KAHI POUVE
DO THE KUKIS HAVE FAITH ON THE INDIAN DEMOCRACY?
WE WANT JUSTICE AT ANY COST
YOUTH OF THE NATION
KUKI VIP"S AND NEWS MAKER
HIS EXCELLENCY
PU.SHEHKHOLEN KIPEN,IFS
INDIAN AMBASSADOR TO UKRAINE
http://www.indianembassy.tj/english/about_us/posolstva_sng.htm
SMT.NENGCHA LHOUVUM
INDIAN AMBASSADOR TO LEBANON
http://mea.gov.in/pressrelease/2004/10/18pr02.htm
MR.ZAI KIPGEN
http://www.rediff.com/sports/2001/sep/01golf.htm
PU W.L HANGSHING,IAS
http://persmin.nic.in/CivilList/AsOnToday/QryProcessCLNew.asp#Bottom
PU.SHEHKHOLEN KIPEN,IFS
INDIAN AMBASSADOR TO UKRAINE
http://www.indianembassy.tj/english/about_us/posolstva_sng.htm
SMT.NENGCHA LHOUVUM
INDIAN AMBASSADOR TO LEBANON
http://mea.gov.in/pressrelease/2004/10/18pr02.htm
MR.ZAI KIPGEN
http://www.rediff.com/sports/2001/sep/01golf.htm
PU W.L HANGSHING,IAS
http://persmin.nic.in/CivilList/AsOnToday/QryProcessCLNew.asp#Bottom
MEDIA COVERAGE ON KUKI & NE OUTFIT ACTIVITIES
KUKI OUTFIT DEMANDS STATEHOOD:
EXCLUSIVE VIDEO COVERAGE WITH A KUKI OUTFIT
http://www.ibnlive.com/videos/23463/kuki-outfit-demands-statehood.html
WE BELIEVE IN BEING INDIAN : KNO
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH IBN Live
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/we-believe-in-being-indian-kno/23601-3-p2.html
THE FORGOTTEN INSURGENCY :UKLF
TIMESNOW EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
http://www.timesnow.tv/Newsdtls.aspx?NewsID=3130
MONEY CAN'T HELP MANIPUR:CAUGHT BETWWEN THE UNLF AND NSCN(IM) IS THE KUKI TRIBE
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/ethnic-crisis-ruining-manipur-economy/23400-3.html
KUKI ULTRAS ATTACK IRB CAMP: NDTV
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070015384
KUKI REBELS UNITE AGAINST COMMON ENEMY
Kishalay Bhattacharjee reports for NDTV from Guwahati
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070008295
NAXALS : UNITED IN VIOLENCE
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070008293
BBC NEWS REPORTS ON KUKI ACTIVITIES
http://search.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/search/results.pl?tab=all&q=KUKI%252CKUKIS&start=1&scope=all&go=homepage
MANIPUR GROUP REJECTS IDEA OF INDIA:
INSIDE THE CAMP OF UNLF
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/manipur-group-rejects-idea-of-india/23540-3.html
NSCN(IM) DRAWS YOUTH BY HORDES:IBN Live
INSIDE CAMP HEBRON,NSCN(IM) GHQ
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/nscn-im-draws-youth-by-hordes/23704-3.html
WE WILL FIGHT INDIAN FORCES:UNLF CHIEF
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH SANAYAIMA
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/we-will-fight-indian-forces-unlf-chief/23346-3-0.html
BODOS RESTIVE AS GOVT KEEPS MUM
CNN-INB Live WITH GEN.SECY NDFB
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/bodos-get-restive-as-govt-keeps-mum/23630-3.html
EACH NAGA VILLAGE IS A REPUBLIC:NSCN
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/each-naga-village-is-a-republic-nscn/23236-3.html
GEN V.S ATEM ON NAGA ASPIRATIONS
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/gen-v-s-atem-on-naga-aspirations/23182-3.html
NO HEADWAY IN GOVT.NSCN(IM) TALKS
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/no-headway-in-govt-nscnim-talks/24557-3.html
MANIPUR MINISTER ESCAPE MILITANT ATTACK
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070021929
EXCLUSIVE VIDEO COVERAGE WITH A KUKI OUTFIT
http://www.ibnlive.com/videos/23463/kuki-outfit-demands-statehood.html
WE BELIEVE IN BEING INDIAN : KNO
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH IBN Live
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/we-believe-in-being-indian-kno/23601-3-p2.html
THE FORGOTTEN INSURGENCY :UKLF
TIMESNOW EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
http://www.timesnow.tv/Newsdtls.aspx?NewsID=3130
MONEY CAN'T HELP MANIPUR:CAUGHT BETWWEN THE UNLF AND NSCN(IM) IS THE KUKI TRIBE
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/ethnic-crisis-ruining-manipur-economy/23400-3.html
KUKI ULTRAS ATTACK IRB CAMP: NDTV
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070015384
KUKI REBELS UNITE AGAINST COMMON ENEMY
Kishalay Bhattacharjee reports for NDTV from Guwahati
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070008295
NAXALS : UNITED IN VIOLENCE
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070008293
BBC NEWS REPORTS ON KUKI ACTIVITIES
http://search.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/search/results.pl?tab=all&q=KUKI%252CKUKIS&start=1&scope=all&go=homepage
MANIPUR GROUP REJECTS IDEA OF INDIA:
INSIDE THE CAMP OF UNLF
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/manipur-group-rejects-idea-of-india/23540-3.html
NSCN(IM) DRAWS YOUTH BY HORDES:IBN Live
INSIDE CAMP HEBRON,NSCN(IM) GHQ
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/nscn-im-draws-youth-by-hordes/23704-3.html
WE WILL FIGHT INDIAN FORCES:UNLF CHIEF
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH SANAYAIMA
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/we-will-fight-indian-forces-unlf-chief/23346-3-0.html
BODOS RESTIVE AS GOVT KEEPS MUM
CNN-INB Live WITH GEN.SECY NDFB
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/bodos-get-restive-as-govt-keeps-mum/23630-3.html
EACH NAGA VILLAGE IS A REPUBLIC:NSCN
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/each-naga-village-is-a-republic-nscn/23236-3.html
GEN V.S ATEM ON NAGA ASPIRATIONS
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/gen-v-s-atem-on-naga-aspirations/23182-3.html
NO HEADWAY IN GOVT.NSCN(IM) TALKS
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/no-headway-in-govt-nscnim-talks/24557-3.html
MANIPUR MINISTER ESCAPE MILITANT ATTACK
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070021929
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