Kuki demanding a separate administration or Kuki homeland is not legitimate but a mere imagination of their own land demanding a foreign land. Kuki was first heard in Manipur during the reign of King  Nara Singh 1844-1854. Historically Kuki was never heard in  Manipur. They were first brought by the British to use as a porter from Burma (now Myanmar) during their colonial rule in India as well as Manipur.

Later on the King in Manipur allowed them to settle in the southern part of Manipur in return for taxes to the King and also to check the Burmese hostility in the border,  a military tactic of the Nation.

 Sir James Johnstone, in his book ‘Manipur and the Naga Hills’ mentioned that the Kukis are a wandering race consisting of several tribes who have long been working up from the south. These immigrants began to cause anxiety to the people around 1845, and soon poured into the hill tracts of Manipur in such numbers, to drive away many of the older inhabitants.

The Kukis are strictly monarchical, and their Chiefs are absolutely despotic and may murder or sell their subjects into slavery without a murmur or dissent. Their original home cannot be correctly ascertained, but there seem to be traces of them as far south as the Malay Peninsula.

There are 34 listed Schedule tribes in Manipur. Among them is Chin Kuki , Gangte, Hmar ,Paite , Waithou , Zou , Mate , any kuki, Thadou kuki etc. In Thadou Kuki there are 30 numbers of sub-tribes which are 1. Guide 2. Doungel 3. Sit lou 4. Singsit 5. Kipgen 6.Haokip 7. Chongloi 8. Hanging 9. Touthang 10. Logen 11. Haolai 12. Tuboi 13. Saun 14. Pulou 15. Luphou 16. Lupheng 17. Misao 18. Mate 19. Vaite 20. Nungdin 21. Lunkip 22. Lenthang 23. Ngailup 24. Kilum 25. Insun 26. Zongbe 27. Thangjao 28. Chasen 29. Ngagup 30. Kuiyenthang.

Around 20-30, Khongsai came to Manipur during the reign of King Pamheiba period according to the Manipur chronicle Cheitharol Kumbaba. Khongsai was recognized as the bonafide refugee mainly settled in the sandwich border area. After Khongsai, Vaiphei Kuki came to Manipur during Maharaja Gambir Singh’s period and they celebrated their homecoming ceremony until 1996. They stop the homecoming ceremony to prove that they are the indigenous people of Manipur. Hmar tribes started to settle in Manipur around 1833-1834. 

In Burma there was a battle between Haokip vs Paite and the latter lost the battle. Haokip vs Sukte was also won by Haokip but later Paite and Sukte together started the war against Haokip. Haokip lost badly and they ran to Manipur and started settling in Manipur. 

In Manipur, there were many occasions where they fight among themselves because of their different belief and aspirations. No one can forget the war between Kuki and Paite in 1997. Their hunger for land is known by everyone including the Naga in Manipur. They even started a war with Naga in Manipur to claim the Naga inhabitant’s areas to them. Their aspirations for forming their own land became strong with time and started forming different insurgent groups amongst themselves and force the Indian government to sit at a table and started to discuss their demands. They even successfully United the different tribes among them to get a chance of having their longing dreams. Until their difference arises again they are now together with one aim to get homeland demand by starting a war with the majority indigenous Meitei population. 

On 3rd May, with a proper and accurate pre-plan, they stage a solidarity Peace March against the Schedule tribe’s status demanded by the majority Meitei and started burning Meitei houses, killing Meitei to fuel their demand for separate administration or separate homeland imminent. They uprooted the entire Meitei populace from the Churachandpur district.

When the majority of Meitei reacted to their inhuman acts they started to play a victim card. All kuki MLAs and Ministers in the state openly demand total separation from the state disobeying their odds with the state assembly. All the Kukis Cso’s leaders including the Kukis students unions together with all the Kukis academicians and scholars vehemently oppose the peace process bombarding the wrong twisted narrative stories to claim their demand is true and legitimate. And on the other hand, their militants keep firing nonstop at the Meitei villages across the State mostly at the peripheral areas of the hills to make sure the separate administration is the only option at this point in time.

The majority of the Meiteis population is not yet come together to put themselves as the Kukis stand. The Meitei will obviously react naturally until come to a point when they feel secure and sympathize with the Kuki suffering. The time looks near when all the Meiteis started hating the Kukis groups, especially in Manipur and that is going to be a big retaliation and ugly. If this unwanted scene happens then there is no way to stop the two communities clash at ultimatum until one of them is totally fractured or finished at all parameters.

Kuki demanding a separate administration or Kuki homeland is not legitimate but a mere imagination of their own land demanding a foreign land. Kuki was first heard in Manipur during the reign of King  Nara Singh 1844-1854. Historically Kuki was never heard in  Manipur. They were first brought by the British to use as a porter from Burma (now Myanmar) during their colonial rule in India as well as Manipur.

Later on the King in Manipur allowed them to settle in the southern part of Manipur in return for taxes to the King and also to check the Burmese hostility in the border,  a military tactic of the Nation.

 Sir James Johnstone, in his book ‘Manipur and the Naga Hills’ mentioned that the Kukis are a wandering race consisting of several tribes who have long been working up from the south. These immigrants began to cause anxiety to the people around 1845, and soon poured into the hill tracts of Manipur in such numbers, to drive away many of the older inhabitants.

The Kukis are strictly monarchical, and their Chiefs are absolutely despotic and may murder or sell their subjects into slavery without a murmur or dissent. Their original home cannot be correctly ascertained, but there seem to be traces of them as far south as the Malay Peninsula.

There are 34 listed Schedule tribes in Manipur. Among them is Chin Kuki , Gangte, Hmar ,Paite , Waithou , Zou , Mate , any kuki, Thadou kuki etc. In Thadou Kuki there are 30 numbers of sub-tribes which are 1. Guide 2. Doungel 3. Sit lou 4. Singsit 5. Kipgen 6.Haokip 7. Chongloi 8. Hanging 9. Touthang 10. Logen 11. Haolai 12. Tuboi 13. Saun 14. Pulou 15. Luphou 16. Lupheng 17. Misao 18. Mate 19. Vaite 20. Nungdin 21. Lunkip 22. Lenthang 23. Ngailup 24. Kilum 25. Insun 26. Zongbe 27. Thangjao 28. Chasen 29. Ngagup 30. Kuiyenthang.

Around 20-30, Khongsai came to Manipur during the reign of King Pamheiba period according to the Manipur chronicle Cheitharol Kumbaba. Khongsai was recognized as the bonafide refugee mainly settled in unadministration sandwich border area. After Khongsai, Vaiphei Kuki came to Manipur during Maharaja Gambir Singh’s period and they celebrated their homecoming ceremony until 1996. They stop the homecoming ceremony to prove that they are the indigenous people of Manipur. Hmar tribes started to settle in Manipur around 1833-1834. 

In Burma there was a battle between Haokip vs Paite and the latter lost the battle. Haokip vs Sukte was also won by Haokip but later Paite and Sukte together started the war against Haokip. Haokip lost badly and they ran to Manipur and started settling in Manipur. 

In Manipur, there were many occasions where they fight among themselves because of their different belief and aspirations. No one can forget the war between Kuki and Paite in 1997. Their hunger for land is known by everyone including the Naga in Manipur. They even started a war with Naga in Manipur to claim the Naga inhabitant’s areas to them. Their aspirations for forming their own land became strong with time and started forming different insurgent groups amongst themselves and force the Indian government to sit at a table and started to discuss their demands. They even successfully United the different tribes among them to get a chance of having their longing dreams. Until their difference arises again they are now together with one aim to get homeland demand by starting a war with the majority indigenous Meitei population. 

On 3rd May, with a proper and accurate pre-plan, they stage a solidarity Peace March against the Schedule tribe’s status demanded by the majority Meitei and started burning Meitei houses, killing Meitei to fuel their demand for separate administration or separate homeland imminent. They uprooted the entire Meitei populace from the Churachandpur district.

When the majority of Meitei reacted to their inhuman acts they started to play a victim card. All kuki MLAs and Ministers in the state openly demand total separation from the state disobeying their odds with the state assembly. All the Kukis Cso’s leaders including the Kukis students unions together with all the Kukis academicians and scholars vehemently oppose the peace process bombarding the wrong twisted narrative stories to claim their demand is true and legitimate. And on the other hand, their militants keep firing nonstop at the Meitei villages across the State mostly at the peripheral areas of the hills to make sure the separate administration is the only option at this point in time.

The majority of the Meiteis population is not yet come together to put themselves as the Kukis stand. The Meitei will obviously react naturally until come to a point when they feel secure and sympathize with the Kuki suffering. The time looks near when all the Meiteis started hating the Kukis groups, especially in Manipur and that is going to be a big retaliation and ugly. If this unwanted scene happens then there is no way to stop the two communities clash at ultimatum until one of them is totally fractured or finished at all parameters.

(The author is a journalist based in Imphal and runs the oldest Manipuri newspaper Manaba. A well-travelled person across the globe, he also has a keen interest in the field of tourism)