Naga body slams Kukis for ‘distorting’ Manipur’s history 

Apex Naga body slams Kuki-Zo community for distorting Manipur's history, says they have no land in Manipur. UNC claims British found Kukis useful as “mercenary tribe” and used their “lack of attachment to any land” to crush indigenous communities. UNC opposes demand for separate administration for Kuki-Zo, says they are illegal immigrants from Myanmar.

GUWAHATI

An apex body of 20 Naga tribes on August 21 stirred a debate on indigeneity by slamming the Kuki-Zo community for allegedly distorting the history of Manipur. 

The United Naga Council (UNC) said the Kuki-Zo people have no land in Manipur at all and the name of their community was first heard when the British “planted” them on the Naga hills between 1830 and 1840. 

The advent of the British brought about many unwanted changes in Manipur and “one of the problems we inherited” from the colonial rule “is the issue of the planting of the Kuki tribe”, the UNC said. 

Also read: Nagas say Kukis are laying claim to ‘disputed’ territory

The Naga body said the British found the Kukis useful as a “mercenary tribe” and utilised their “total lack of attachment to any land and landscape” to crush the indigenous communities of Manipur. 

The majority Meiteis, involved in an ethnic clash with the Kukis since May 3, and the Nagas consider themselves indigenous and the communities belonging to the Kuki-Zo group as largely “illegal immigrants” from Myanmar.