Imphal, August 12 2010: The front of various Kuki militant groups, the United People's Front (UPF) would join the nation's enthuasism in celebration of the 63rd Independence Day on August 15 .

This was announced today by secretary, Information and Publicity, UPF, SN Thadou in a press release.

The press release said, "India's freedom was attained after a hard and long struggle with the contribution and sacrifice made by freedom fighters at different parts of India" .

"The contribution of the Kukis towards India's freedom is in no way less important.

The Kuki Rebellion/Anglo-Kuki war (1917-1919) was against the British imperialism and the Kuki martyrs and freedom fighters who chose to join the Indian National army (INA) under Netaji Subhas Chandr Bose for the cause of India's freedom from British Colonial rule," it stated.

The press release further stated that even to that day, many a page of military records and annals were filled with their heroic deeds of these patriots who sacrificed their lives.

No deluge of time could wash away this indelible fact.

"Our forefathers, who had been called ferocious wild tribe people in the days yore, had thus become freedom fighters against the mighty British empire.

This uprising is no less interior to the Rebellion of 1857 which the British derogatorily called the Sepoy Mutiny," it stated.

Considering the contribution and sacrifice made by the Kukis towards Indi's Freedom, a state-hood to the Kukis would have been warranted many times more than many of the North Eastern states.

However, the sacrifice of those Kuki patriots had not been given due recognition by the Government of India, SN Thadou lamented adding that these factors were responsible for the birth of the United People's Front (UPF) as an umbrella organization of armed revolutionary groups seeking socio-economic and political solution for the Kukis in Manipur within the frame work of the Indian Constituion.

He said, a tripartite pact, Suspension of Operation (SoO) was signed in August 2008 with the Government of India and the Government of Manipur.

But no political dialogue has ever taken place so far.

The UPF urged the Government of India and the Government of Manipur to start political dialogue with the UPF and other signatories of SoO for early policial solution of the Kukis.

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