Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, April 20 2009:
Paying its respectful salute to the martyrs of the Anglo-Manipur War (1891), the Great Kuki Rebellion (1860) and the Anglo-Kuki War (1917-19) on the occasion of the observance of Khongjom Day, the KNO today urged for appending befitting recognition to Kuki war heroes who fought the British from the authority concerned.
Denouncing the 'bias' and 'harmful' attitude of the successive state governments by giving non-recognition and triviality to the Kuki Rising against the imperialist British during 1860s and 1917-19, the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) in a press statement urged the concerned authorities to introduce and present the past heroic deeds of the Kuki forefathers in its true perspective in the academic curriculum of the state.
Lenin H Kuki, the Secretary of Information and Publicity, KNO in a press statement took note that no state government has, ironically, observed and dedicated a day in remembrance of Kuki martyrs like Pu Chengjapao, Pu Tintong, Pu Enjakhup, Pu Khotinthang et al till today.
Asserting that the names of Manipur war heroes like Pu Paona, Pu Thangal, Pu Tikendrajit have been highly honoured and popularised by the state government through its controlled machineries, the KNO statement poses as to why those Kuki warriors are put into oblivion.
It further firmly asks whether they were lesser human being not worthy to be honoured and recognised.
The KNO statement observes harmful consequences for Manipur if not the present 'imbalanced' mindset is erased from the politicians, academicians, social workers and students from the 'majority' community.
KNO is of the opinion that understanding and respecting one another's history, culture and beliefs is a must for peaceful social cohesion and growth as it would certainly help in their self-realisation which in turn leads to acquire self-respect and dignity, Lenin Kuki asserts.
The statement further adds that depriving the young minds a chance to learn their own 'glorious past' would surely be a doom as it is tantamount to 'cultural annihilation' which is worse that the dreaded nuclear annihilation.