Nagas disagree with Kukis' separate administration demand, says United Naga Council

The United Naga Council (UNC), in a recent response, asserted that the Nagas are not aligned with the Kuki-Zo community's demand for separate administration. The memorandum submitted by 10 MLAs of Kuki-Zo to the Prime Minister of India, appealing for the establishment of positions like Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, is perceived by the UNC as another iteration of the demand for separate administration.

Expressing their stance, the UNC highlighted that the problems associated with the demand for separate administration remain the same, regardless of how it is presented. The UNC's response also addressed the territorial concerns raised by the Kuki-Zo community, particularly the inclusion of Chandel district and the so-called Tengnoupal district alongside Churachandpur district as their claimed land.

In an official statement, the UNC highlighted the complexities of the ongoing ethnic conflict, particularly the consequences of the present turmoil faced by the Kuki-Zo people. The UNC acknowledged that the Nagas are well aware of the hardships faced by the Kuki-Zo community due to the ongoing ethnic conflict. However, the UNC expressed its strong opposition to certain issues raised and incorporated in the Kuki-Zo memorandum, which it sees as a significant threat to the existence and inalienable rights of the Nagas, particularly within the state of Manipur.

While the UNC has been actively engaged in efforts to mediate and end the ongoing ethnic conflict between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities through dialogue, progress has been hindered by a lack of positive outcomes. The UNC expressed concern over the misinformation and lop-sided historical narratives contained in statements and memoranda from the Kuki-Zo community. These distortions, according to the UNC, not only alter the historical context but also insult the Naga people.

The UNC also addressed the issue of land, noting that their opposition to the creation of new districts in 2016 remains unresolved. They argued that certain districts carved out from Senapati and Chandel districts were the outcome of a policy to appease, carried out under the Congress government's banner of administrative convenience. The demand for separate administration, incorporating the new districts, was met with strong opposition from the Nagas. The UNC maintained that the Kuki-Zo representation to various global authorities regarding territorial issues lacked historical accuracy and was based on false foundations.

The UNC questioned the Kuki-Zo community's claim of 'Outer Manipur' and the creation of a Kuki state, suggesting that such endeavors lacked a grounded basis. They dismissed the territorial claims as unsubstantiated and cautioned that these actions could lead to perpetuating enmity between the communities.

With regard to the establishment of new villages in Kuki areas within Naga districts, the UNC noted that such actions could be misleading authorities regarding the displaced people of the 1990s conflict. The UNC pointed out that the recent distortion of history by the Kuki community, including the labeling of the 1917-1919 Kuki Rebellion as the "Anglo-Kuki War," serves to fabricate a history that doesn't reflect the true nature of the events.