Revisiting the historical identity of Meetei people

Haobam Indrakumar *

The concept of homeland is newly derived from the migrant character of Kukis spreading towards Assam and Bangladesh and which has met with failure. Such fallacious, greedy proposition defies rational, logical and tenable values.

Records, accounts, royal chronicles, dynastic rules and Meetei scriptures (Puyas) remain still point to the glorious past of Meetei kingdom. A look at the long historical journey of 4000 years from the times of Kangba Dynasty will testify that no Kukis were found living in any part of hill areas of Meetei Kingdom.

Indigenous tribals are also mentioned in Meetei Puyas. The increasing surge of Kukis within a short span of time with a slogan of homeland/ separate administration is completely fanciful and ill-designed.

Who hsa masterminded this conspiracy for homeland/separate administration ? Camps for Kuki-Chin refugees were set up at Behiang and Liwa Chaning and the influx of Myanmarese refugees continued to pour in to the extent that the Government was hard pressed to address the refugee issue.

As the years passed by, the Kuki refugees took advantage of the failure of the Government to resolve the refugee issue and they left their camps and spread over the adjoining hills seeking settlement and poppy plantation. The origin and formation of mountains and hills and their ruling presiding deities are all depicted in Chingoilol, Chingsatlol, Chingsalol and Chinglol Laihui.

These four documentary accounts amply enlighten description, depiction, jurisdiction and authority of the ruling deities in all directions. Hence anybody who cannot see the light of the day is groping in the dark and as such claims made on this basis is untenable.

For the first time in human history, the presence of Kuki narco-terrorists in Manipur hills made their presence felt with killing spree and their spread in the hills was instigated and supported openly by their fraternity groups, who are ever in the habit of spreading selfish propaganda.

A hill-based homeland amid poppy plantation and narcotic industry is Kuki dream. The submission of memorandum of separate administration by the Kuki MLAs came against the wave of Biren’s war on drugs campaign along with lawlessness.

The Indian democracy has failed on the home front where the innocent Meeteis have been left unguarded for the last 60 days in the relief camps. More than 2000 homes were burnt down by the Kuki terrorists and the Central forces are left immobile and ineffective.

India’s appeasement policy cannot combat the uncontrollable terrorists whose prime target is to settle by gun force adopted and adapted from Myanmarese junta. Loopholes and lapses are evidently found in security measures in tackling attacking Kuki terrorists.

Wait and watch policy of the Government that led to prolongation and multiplication of woes and sufferings threw the Meeteis into the complete loss of confidence and hope.

People’s loss of confidence in a leader like Modi who is still silent on the plight of the Meeteis, Amit Shah’s failure to stem the rot and Biren, who has failed to take up action promptly. It has cut a sorry figure likely to imprint upon the next future as well.

A funniest feature of BJP democracy is downsizing power and authority of Biren with the blessing of Amit Shah. A faithful Biren then felt happy after unloading an overload without any hunch that had lost his own responsibility that shared through popular mandate. Modi is snoring, Amit Shah is playing the game and Biren is paralympic.

Even though these are all predominant leaders of responsible Government they failed to feel and understand the suffering people, the Meeteis. If you are sincere enough to root out terrorism from the soil do not wait time to watch the growth of another golden triangle in Kuki areas.

The Central Forces cannot use their might when the Kuki terrorists are clearly visible. Where is the valour, courage and spirit of Indian forces gone?