Intrigued and appalled over the Thadou Students' Association-General Headquarters' calling for peace between the two warring communities, the Committee on Tribal Unity, or the CoTU, Sadar Hills termed it "asinine" and "irresponsibly supererogatory" gesture.
The Committee also considered the TSA-GHQ's gesture nothing but a desperate quest for its relevancy and a mere despicable act to importance the front runners of the Kuki society.
CoTU stated in its rebuttal that, of interest, it [CoTU] has been working tirelessly for the safety and security of the Kuki-Zo people, but, to our dismay, the TSA calling for peace between the two warring communities in the state has created confusion leaving the general public exasperated.
It pointed out that Thadou and Kuki are indistinguishable, the former being one of the Kuki tribes while the latter is a nomenclature although it needs no deciphering while slamming the TSA's gesture as preposterous and unwarranted.
The Committee considered that whatever the intention the TSA-General Headquarters has in its depository will not bode well for peace but will instead widen a chasm of misunderstanding and ill-feeling within the Kuki-Zo people.
CoTU also stated that there have been times during social unrest when directionless Kuki-Zo organizations and persons with vested interests have strayed from our cause, stooping so low by wreaking havoc detrimental to the people's movement, which is neither people's mandate nor representative of the Kuki-Zo community.
The Committee further stated that while we are spearheading the cause for the Kuki-Zo people in the communal flare-up state spanning eight months now, we will no longer tolerate such press statements, hate campaigns, or anti-social pursuits in any form that might disorient us from reaching our common goal or which could pave way for any signs of discord among our people but rather dealt with in the strictest term.
That being the case, the Committee advised the TSA-General Headquarters to withdraw its press statement calling for peace at the earliest and appealed to the executive members of TSA Sadar Hills representing TSA-General Headquarters to take the initiative to expedite the withdrawal of TSA-General Headquarters press statement.
It also cautioned that any untoward incident arising out of non-compliance will draw severe reprisal and CoTU shall not be held accountable.
CoTU also appealed and forewarned any entrenched interests and groups to desist from sowing the seeds of animus among the Kuki-Zo people during this moment of truth.
The Hills Journal
K. Salbung, Churachandpur
Manipur-795128