The demand for a Kuki homeland

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in news?
• A Kuki homeland
• Reasons behind the demand of Kukiland

 

Why in news?

• Recently, Manipur’s 10 Kuki-Zomi MLAs demanded a separate administration under the Constitution.
• This demand was made days after clashes between Manipur’s Kuki-Zomi tribes and the majority Meitei community that left more than 70 people dead.

 

A Kuki homeland

• Background
  • The demand for a separate Kukiland dates back to the late 1980s, when the first and largest of the Kuki-Zomi insurgent groups, the Kuki National Organisation (KNO), came into being.
    • The demand has surfaced periodically ever since.
  • In 2012, it became increasingly clear that the demand for a separate Telangana state would be accepted.
  • At that time, an organisation called the Kuki State Demand Committee (KSDC) announced a movement for Kukiland.
• Demand
  • The KSDC claimed 12,958 sq km, more than 60% of Manipur’s 22,000 sq km area, for Kukis and Kukiland.
  • The territory of Kukiland included: 
    • the Sadar Hills (which surround the Imphal valley on three sides), 
    • the Kuki-dominated Churachandpur district, Chandel, which has a mix of Kuki and Naga populations, and 
    • parts of Naga-dominated Tamenglong and Ukhrul.
  • Unlike the Naga demand for a separate country, Kukis are only seeking a separate state within the Indian Union.

 

Reasons behind the demand of Kukiland

• Historical
  • The KSDC and sections of the Kuki-Zomi community have maintained that the tribal areas are yet to be a part of the Indian Union. 
  • They have contended that after the defeat of the king of Manipur in the 1891 Anglo-Manipur war, the kingdom became a British protectorate.
  • However, the lands of the Kuki-Zomi were not part of the agreement.
• The idea of the Zale’n-gam, or ‘land of freedom’
  • As per the Kuki-Zomi people, the Kuki Zale’n-gam sprawled across a large part of India’s Northeast and contiguous areas in present day Myanmar.
  • Under the Treaty of 1834, the British handed over a significant chunk of this land to Burma to appease the Ava or Burmese king.
  • According to the KNO, the Zale’n-gam included the area up to the Chindwin River in Myanmar.
    • It covered the bordering regions of India, the areas around the Nantalit river in northern Myanmar, and stretched to the Chin state in the south. 
  • In India, the Kuki homeland included: 
    • the hill districts of Manipur, including the Naga areas, Kanjang, Akhen, Phek, and parts of Dimapur in Nagaland, 
    • Karbi-Anglong, North Cachar Hills, and Halflong in Assam, and Tripura, as well as parts of the Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh.
  • Over the years though, this imagination of the homeland has shrunk to that of a state created out of the hill areas of Manipur, including those dominated by the Naga tribes.
• Identity and Cultural Preservation
  • Manipur has a diverse ethnic population with Meitis controlling the Valley, Nagas on the surrounding hills and Kukis interspersed in between.
  • The Kuki community has a distinct cultural identity, language, and history.
    • The Kukis are Manipur’s third major ethnic group, after the majority Meitei Hindus and the Naga tribes.
  • Hence, the community is demanding a separate state to preserve their identity and culture.
• Clash with Naga group
  • The community has alleged that Naga insurgent groups have been attempting to grab Kuki lands for decades. 
  • During the Naga-Kuki clashes of 1993 more than 1,000 Kukis were killed, and many times that number were displaced.
• Socio-economic development
  • Some Kuki groups believe that a separate state would provide them with political power and control over their own resources which are largely controlled by the Meiteis.
  • This would allow them to achieve socio-economic development.
• Administrative Autonomy: 
  • Kuki organizations argue that a separate state would enable them to make decisions on matters such as governance, law and order etc., based on their specific needs and aspirations.
• Recent violence in Manipur
  • Days after the tribal Kuki community clashed with the Meiteis on May 3, the demand for separate Kuki State has resurfaced. 
    • A ‘tribal solidarity march’ was organised against the Manipur High Court’s direction to the State to take steps towards granting ST status to the non-tribal Meitei community.
    • Violent clashes broke out at various places in Manipur during the course of this march.
    • At least 71 people were killed and thousands were displaced in the violence. 
    • The clashes prompted the state government to issue shoot-at-sight orders, enforce a curfew and ban internet services.
  • All the 10 Kuki MLAs (out of 60) in Manipur, including two state ministers, have raised the demand for a separate administration and separation from the state.
    • These MLAs alleged that the violence that started on May 3 was perpetrated by majority Meiteis.
    • It is tacitly supported by the existing government of Manipur.

 

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Q1) Who are Kukis?

The term "Kukis" refers to an ethnic group primarily found in the northeastern region of India, specifically in the states of Manipur, Mizoram, and Assam, as well as parts of Myanmar (Burma) and Bangladesh. The Kukis are an indigenous Tibeto-Burman ethnic group with a distinct language and culture. The Kuki people have a rich history and have been known by various names, including Chin-Kuki-Mizo, Hmar, Paite, Zou, Simte, and many more, depending on the specific subgroups and regions they inhabit. They have a close affinity with other tribes in the region, such as the Nagas, Meiteis, and Mizos.

 

Q2) What is the geographical location of Manipur?

Manipur is a state located in northeastern India. It is situated in the eastern part of the country, sharing borders with the states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south, and Assam to the west. On its eastern side, Manipur shares an international border with Myanmar (formerly known as Burma). The capital city of Manipur is Imphal.

 

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Source:  The demand for a Kuki homeland, its history and rationale | The Print | Outlook India