Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 16 2010:
United Tribal Liberation Army (UTLA) has said that it would not cease to fight against the country which denies the freedom of tribals.
"The hegemony of the Indians which contradicts the tribal self determination for the motherland till its complete attainment shall be fought till our last breathe", said a press statement issued by its General Secretary Abu Nidal.
The tribals are scattering over a vast region both in the Northeastern India and the neighbouring countries, he said and added that they inhabit in Sylhet, Somra tract, Chittagong hill tract region of Bangladesh and the region west of the upper Chindwin river in Burma now Myanmar.
Abu Nidal appealed all well wishers, sympathizers and supporters from all over the region, to put heads and shoulders together and fight united for our common cause.
He remembered that during the years from 1772-74, the Thadous with some other tribes like the Gangte, Vaiphei, Simte, Zou etc migrated to the present Lushai hills being subordinated to the Lushai chief Lallula who unified the whole tribes including the Ngente (Hmar) under him.
The customs, traditions, culture etc of these tribes were more or less the same, he added.
Abu Nidal quoted Grierson as, "Kuki is an Assamese or Bengali term applied to various tribes such as the Lushai, Hrangkhol, Thadou, Paite, Hmar, Zou, Kom, Anal, Gangte, Muyon, Monsang, Chothe, Lamkang etc" .
Thus it does not signify a particular tribe and not a single tribe ever called itself by this foreign name, he added.
On the naming of the whole tribes as Kuki, Dun writes, "The origin of the term Kuki is not certainly known; but it is said to be derived from a word applied to a system of cultivation by the Bengalese.
The whole of the wild tribe who dwelt in the mountain district contained between Bengal and Burma, Bangladesh, Cacher and Manipur and Arakan have received this designation" .
Abu Nidal said, the success of the British policy of the divide and rule was continued by the Indian political leaders.
UTLA will not and shall never bow down to the divide and rule policy of the Indian political leaders, he added.