In a democratic country like India, every individual or community have every right to live, to lay down one’s desire or wants and aspiration to the Government but the demand for Sadar Hills District by our Kuki brothers may be beyond consideration and the law of the land. Every happening has its own reason, every child has its parents and every people has its own history and the history of the Kuki brothers do not guarantee to claim Sadar Hills or Homeland for themselves.
The propose Sadar Hills District historically and traditionally belongs to the Nagas, major portion of it to the Liangmais who were describe as the Kacha Naga, Kabui, Koopees or Kworeng by different writers and officially known as the Kach Naga in the schedule tribe list of the Union of India. The Kukis make their first settlement in the present land in 1830s with the arrival of the East India Company. The Britishers used the Kukis as a mechanism to fight against the Indigenous people, the Nagas, as domestic laborers, as transporters and as messengers and make their settlement in the Naga Hills at the mercy of the Nagas on payment of land revenues and taxes called Rampon Ramkha or Lamban (a common language of Manipur). Later with the support of the British India the Meitie Maharaja (Manipuri King) adopt the same policy to fight pity independent Naga village Kingdoms in the hill.
Gradually with the departure of the Britishers and Indias Independence on 15th August 1947 and emerge of Meitie Kingdom to Indian Union and inauguration of Manipur State Assembly on 18th October 1948 by Maharaja Bodhchandra including Naga territories without the knowledge Nagas leads to internal conflict between the Nagas and the Meities. To subdue the Naga revolt the Meities used the Kukis for the same purposed as British India did and pave ways for the existence and recognisation of the Kukis in the Naga Hills under their administration. However, as Nagas belong to an independent race and stood tood and nail to it the Kukis make their settlement in the present land on payment of Rampon Ramkha or Lamban or Revenue to the Nagas which is paid in the form of animals, salt, wine etc till the recent past but have gradually ceased to pay after the 1st and 2nd Kuki revolt which was no doubt the handy work of the Meities for their political gain.
To cite some few example the present Kangpokpi, Nungphou, Songpiyang all Kuki Villages Toribari a Nepali dominated area, Daili village Mao Naga village, Yangkongpao and Tumnoupokpi a Thangal Naga village all at the compact radius is in the jurisdiction of Aling a Liangmai village and make their settlement at the mercy of Alingmai. Kotlen a Kuki village along I..T Road at the mercy of Nongmai. T.Vaichong a Kuki village at the mercy of Mbumai. Gelnal a Kuki village at the mercy of Sannongmai. Chalwa a Kuki village at the mercy of Puilong. Maohing a Kuki village at the mercy of Gailongmai. Changoubung a Kuki village at the mercy of Zailongmai, Hengbung a Kuki village at the mercy of Maremai, Kuki Taphou, Phymai Taphou, Rikhumai Taphou both a Paomai Naga village, Mao Taphou, Emesaphri are all at the mercy of Taphou Naga village, Haipi a Kuki village at the mercy of Npemai, Lalloi a Kuki village at the mercy of Karalong, Phailenkot at the mercy of Oklong, Karakhun at the mercy of Chaungmun, Laikot a Kuki village at the mercy of Kanem, Lasan at the mercy of Tanunglong, Songjang at the mercy of Bena (Thonglang), Songtung at the mercy of Maram Khunou and Makaphung, T.Khullen a Maram Naga village, Ningthoupham and Mayangkhang a Thangal Naga village at the mercy of Chawangkening (Bena old name) Harup Kuki at the mercy of Harup Naga, Sekmai a Meitei dominated area at the mercy of Nsakmai and many more. Therefore it may be more appropriate for the Kukis to demand Sadar Hills District or a Homeland for themselves from the Nagas who are the actual owners of the land..
We also find abnormal growth of population and number of villages in Kangpokpi, Saikul and Saitu Blocks in reading the sencus report of 1971, 1981 and 2001. For instance in Saikul Block there was only 13 Kuki villages till 1971 but have reach to the mark of 69 in 2001, in Kangpokpi 171 out of 59 and in Saitu 115 out of 29. Now the question is where have all these people come from? Is the State Revenue Department satisfied with such manipulated and bogus figure?
Now therefore before going ahead with any decision on the issue of Sadar Hills District by our Kuki brothers the State and Central Government need to re-ponder and revive our society for future good. We have our own history, our existence is not simply a matter of some past days, we cannot simply ignore the truth and consider the present manipulated and bogus social structure and figure for our present benefit.
We are never against Kukis to have a district or a Homeland but we will also never surrender an inch of our land for creation of Sadar Hills District. In the matter of Sadar Hills it is a term used and applied to the hill people living in the immediate circular mountain to the valley and is purely meant to the Nagas and it should be the wish of the Nagas to create it into a district or not.
Regarding the ongoing blockade along National Highways by the so-call SHDDC the State and Central Government need to react immediately for practicing un-democratic agitation in a democratic land. Blocking medical emergencies, dead ceremonies, school students is never a democratic act. SHDDC have even imposed band on State Police Force and the State is totally paralyzed simply acting as an actor, therefore Center need to send Para military force to look into the matter or may imposed Presidents Rule to bring back situation to normalcy. Now it has come to the point to question the three parties of SoS and its hidden agendas.
L.Stephen Makuimai
Student Activist
Senapati District, Manipur
The propose Sadar Hills District historically and traditionally belongs to the Nagas, major portion of it to the Liangmais who were describe as the Kacha Naga, Kabui, Koopees or Kworeng by different writers and officially known as the Kach Naga in the schedule tribe list of the Union of India. The Kukis make their first settlement in the present land in 1830s with the arrival of the East India Company. The Britishers used the Kukis as a mechanism to fight against the Indigenous people, the Nagas, as domestic laborers, as transporters and as messengers and make their settlement in the Naga Hills at the mercy of the Nagas on payment of land revenues and taxes called Rampon Ramkha or Lamban (a common language of Manipur). Later with the support of the British India the Meitie Maharaja (Manipuri King) adopt the same policy to fight pity independent Naga village Kingdoms in the hill.
Gradually with the departure of the Britishers and Indias Independence on 15th August 1947 and emerge of Meitie Kingdom to Indian Union and inauguration of Manipur State Assembly on 18th October 1948 by Maharaja Bodhchandra including Naga territories without the knowledge Nagas leads to internal conflict between the Nagas and the Meities. To subdue the Naga revolt the Meities used the Kukis for the same purposed as British India did and pave ways for the existence and recognisation of the Kukis in the Naga Hills under their administration. However, as Nagas belong to an independent race and stood tood and nail to it the Kukis make their settlement in the present land on payment of Rampon Ramkha or Lamban or Revenue to the Nagas which is paid in the form of animals, salt, wine etc till the recent past but have gradually ceased to pay after the 1st and 2nd Kuki revolt which was no doubt the handy work of the Meities for their political gain.
To cite some few example the present Kangpokpi, Nungphou, Songpiyang all Kuki Villages Toribari a Nepali dominated area, Daili village Mao Naga village, Yangkongpao and Tumnoupokpi a Thangal Naga village all at the compact radius is in the jurisdiction of Aling a Liangmai village and make their settlement at the mercy of Alingmai. Kotlen a Kuki village along I..T Road at the mercy of Nongmai. T.Vaichong a Kuki village at the mercy of Mbumai. Gelnal a Kuki village at the mercy of Sannongmai. Chalwa a Kuki village at the mercy of Puilong. Maohing a Kuki village at the mercy of Gailongmai. Changoubung a Kuki village at the mercy of Zailongmai, Hengbung a Kuki village at the mercy of Maremai, Kuki Taphou, Phymai Taphou, Rikhumai Taphou both a Paomai Naga village, Mao Taphou, Emesaphri are all at the mercy of Taphou Naga village, Haipi a Kuki village at the mercy of Npemai, Lalloi a Kuki village at the mercy of Karalong, Phailenkot at the mercy of Oklong, Karakhun at the mercy of Chaungmun, Laikot a Kuki village at the mercy of Kanem, Lasan at the mercy of Tanunglong, Songjang at the mercy of Bena (Thonglang), Songtung at the mercy of Maram Khunou and Makaphung, T.Khullen a Maram Naga village, Ningthoupham and Mayangkhang a Thangal Naga village at the mercy of Chawangkening (Bena old name) Harup Kuki at the mercy of Harup Naga, Sekmai a Meitei dominated area at the mercy of Nsakmai and many more. Therefore it may be more appropriate for the Kukis to demand Sadar Hills District or a Homeland for themselves from the Nagas who are the actual owners of the land..
We also find abnormal growth of population and number of villages in Kangpokpi, Saikul and Saitu Blocks in reading the sencus report of 1971, 1981 and 2001. For instance in Saikul Block there was only 13 Kuki villages till 1971 but have reach to the mark of 69 in 2001, in Kangpokpi 171 out of 59 and in Saitu 115 out of 29. Now the question is where have all these people come from? Is the State Revenue Department satisfied with such manipulated and bogus figure?
Now therefore before going ahead with any decision on the issue of Sadar Hills District by our Kuki brothers the State and Central Government need to re-ponder and revive our society for future good. We have our own history, our existence is not simply a matter of some past days, we cannot simply ignore the truth and consider the present manipulated and bogus social structure and figure for our present benefit.
We are never against Kukis to have a district or a Homeland but we will also never surrender an inch of our land for creation of Sadar Hills District. In the matter of Sadar Hills it is a term used and applied to the hill people living in the immediate circular mountain to the valley and is purely meant to the Nagas and it should be the wish of the Nagas to create it into a district or not.
Regarding the ongoing blockade along National Highways by the so-call SHDDC the State and Central Government need to react immediately for practicing un-democratic agitation in a democratic land. Blocking medical emergencies, dead ceremonies, school students is never a democratic act. SHDDC have even imposed band on State Police Force and the State is totally paralyzed simply acting as an actor, therefore Center need to send Para military force to look into the matter or may imposed Presidents Rule to bring back situation to normalcy. Now it has come to the point to question the three parties of SoS and its hidden agendas.
L.Stephen Makuimai
Student Activist
Senapati District, Manipur
