Legal suit against Kuki scholars politically motivated, a clear reflection of bleak state of academic freedom: KIM

Initiating legal suits against Kuki scholars is a clear reflection of the bleak state of academic freedom in India and the charges against them are politically motivated- an attempt to erase Kuki history, said the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM).

In a memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, on Saturday, the Kuki apex body highlighted its resentment over the FIRs filed against Kuki scholars and intellectuals as well as the statement of Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, in parliament.

The memorandum stated that Kuki leaders, social activists, students' organisations and scholars who wrote and spoke for the Kukis on different platforms were being booked in an attempt to gag and stifle any voices from the Kuki-Zo community.

"Such cases amount to another ploy of keeping the Kukis under subjugation. Things which are purely academics should be responded with the same approach and academic freedom which plays a vital role in strengthening democratic society should be protected," KIM said.

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Claiming that several Kuki scholars, writers, leaders and statesmen are under constant threat and harassment, the Kuki apex body stated that the results of research works, academic engagement and exercise of freedom of speech are responded with FIR and cases. Manipur police have booked two Kuki Assistant Professors of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and a retired Colonel for the book they had edited and authored on the Anglo-Kuki War 1917-19.

KIM demanded that cases and FIRs against writers, scholars, academicians, leaders and statesmen of Kuki community, which are filed/registered on the basis of complaints by radical and secessionist Meiteis with malicious intents be withdrawn immediately.

Relentless attempts are on to obliterate the Kukis as a people particularly by extremist Meitei elements since the last many years, KIM stated while adding that after ensuring the cleansing of ethnic Kukis from Manipur valley from May 3 this year, intensified campaigns are going on unabated to wipe out any traces of them - even to the extent of ignoring and dismissing their glorious history with threats and intimidations.

The memorandum also stated that the Kuki people believe India as a country of vast multiplicity of religions, cultures and ethnicities that are indigenous to this land. However, elements which are antithesis of the values cherished by the Constitution of India continue to engage in projecting the Kukis as illegal immigrants, and not legal citizens of India.

"N Biren Singh and Meitei radical and extremist groups such as COCOMI did manufactured and spread lies about the Kukis. Although these anti-national elements know very well that the Indian-ness of Kukis is unquestionable, they doggedly pursue their agenda by fabricating facts, manufacturing narratives and imposing all sorts of dictates with intimidations," it stated.

KIM further stated that the radical Meiteis' sole intention is to obliterate the Kukis and dispossess them of their land and rights. The people who spin webs of lies and rely on lies, driven by a secessionist agenda, have even succeeded in convincing some high and respectable offices and responsible citizens of India with their manufactured and misleading narratives, it said.

The Kuki apex body reiterated time and again that the present carnage in Manipur has no link whatsoever with the much-hyped influx of Kukis into Manipur or Mizoram. However, the Meiteis' insecurity to 'influx of Kukis from Myanmar into Manipur' is overhyped, coupled with extreme hatred for the minority people.

KIM said: "Contrary to the fact that the present unrest is a result of Meiteis' majoritarian agenda to continue depriving and subjugating the Kukis, and much to our dismay, the Union Home Minister Amit Shah improperly unconscionably blamed the 'influx of Kukis' into Manipur and Mizoram for the violence."

The Kuki apex body went on to state that the Union Home Minister was misled; and unfortunately, he chose to politicise the violence. “In doing so, we cannot, but doubt his complicity in the violence; and, he is adding more fuel to the fire,” it said.

The memorandum added that Amit Shah’s statement was also a clear message to the whole country that he is patronising and promoting the cause of secessionists, at whose behest the Biren Singh-led State Government of Manipur, is acting. The Kuki’s loyalty to the Nation should not be taken for granted.

"The indisputable truth, and the cause of the ethnic conflict in Manipur is the majority Meiteis' attempt to grab the Kukis' land and natural resources by flouting every norm and procedure. Echoing Chief Minister N Biren Singh's lies and presumptions in the Parliament by Amit Shah is politically motivated and totally unjustified," KIM said.

The Kuki body strongly condemned the prejudicial, senseless statement of Amit Shah who openly showed his partiality towards Manipur's Chief Minister, N Biren Singh, and his narratives while speaking on the issue in the Parliament recently by deliberately ignoring the crux of the current Manipur problem. The Union Home Minister's insincerity to solve the problem and restore normalcy was implicitly reflected in the speech, it added.

The Kuki Inpi Manipur also demanded the Union Home Minister to tender undue apology to the Kukis and his contempt speech should be expunged for falling prey to the deceptive and divisive agenda of N Biren Singh and stated that the problem should be viewed beyond politics or party affiliation.

KIM also demanded the Government of India to act against those secessionist Valley Based Insurgency Groups (VBIGs) and their frontal organisations such as COCOMI and politicians who have nexus with them including N Biren Singh.

To register their plights and demand justice to its academicians, the Kukis held mammoth rallies on 19th August, 2023 in all Kuki-inhabited areas of Manipur under the auspices of Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM). Since the Kukis are subjected to oppression, suppression and subjugation of all sorts in the hands of Meiteis, participants of the public rallies reaffirmed that living together again with the Meiteis, who show all hostilities to Kukis, is only next to impossible and that, the Government of India should immediately expedite the demand of separate State to the Kukis so that we live in peace.

The Kuki Inpi Manipur claimed that the participants in the massive rally also pledged to fight till the last man standing to achieve the goal of separate State for the Kukis.