Ukhrul: The Kuki Chiefs’ Association, Manipur (KCAM), in a press statement Sunday has unequivocally condemned in what it describes “the recent order from the Manipur State Government, Department of Tribal Affairs and Hills, demanding detailed documentation of our villages and hills from 1964 to the present.”
KCAM has said that the directive by the Manipur government “indicating the height of discrimination and oppression perpetrated by the state government against the Kuki-Zo people, amidst the ongoing genocide campaign against our people, including the burning and uprooting of Kuki-Zo villages and the displacement of over 40,000 Kuki-Zo individuals.”
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“Subsequently, KCAM views this order as not only deeply insensitive but also a manifestation of systemic discrimination and injustices against our community. The timing of this order is particularly troubling, coming at a moment when the Kuki-Zo people are facing existential threats from the radicalised and secessionist Meiteis. It seeks to undermine the chieftainship and the associated rights that have been integral to the identity and governance of the Kuki-Zo people. By demanding documentation that could potentially facilitate illegitimate encroachment into our ancestral lands, the state government reveals a blatant disregard for the rights and dignity of the Kuki-Zo people,” the Kuki Chief’s Association Manipur added.
Responding to the directive of the Government of Manipur, the KCAM has said it is resolved to uphold the dignity and integrity of our community and its chieftaincy. “The Kuki Chiefs’ Association, Manipur, hereby calls for strict compliance with our directive: no Kuki-Zo chief shall submit any documents or papers to the state government that seek to undermine our traditional governance and the rights inherent to it,” KCAM warned.
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Urging to all Kuki-Zo people to stand united in defiance of this unjust order but reaffirm their commitment to the urgent pursuit of a Separate Administration -a Union Territory with Legislature, that respects their autonomy, identity, and most importantly their rights and privileges as equal citizens of the country, KCAM further urged all Kuki-Zo individuals and leaders to rally together and resist these discriminatory measures.
“The Kuki-Zo people will stand firm in our determination to safeguard our heritage, our land, and our future,” it added.
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