Kuki bodies urge KNO, UPF to stick to statehood demand

Tripartite talks to resume Aug 9

Newmai News Network

IMPHAL |Aug 7

Two days before the third round of the tripartite talks of Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People’s Front (UPF) in New Delhi, Kuki civil bodies have urged the two umbrella bodies of “Kuki armed nationalists” to “unequivocally present the Kuki people’s demand for statehood”. 

On August 9, the KNO and UPF will be holding tripartite talks with the government of India and the State government of Manipur in New Delhi.

Amid this development, KNO ‘Negotiator’ Dr Seilen Haokip told this agency tonight that they will stick to their agenda. “We are not demanding anybody’s land. We believe in peaceful co-existence with our neighbours,” said Dr Seilen Haokip.

A 9-member delegation of the KNO headed by ‘Negotiator’ Dr Seilen Haokip will be participating in the tripartite talks. Dr Seilen Haokip also said that KNO ‘Chief Negotiator’ who is also the President of the organization PS Haokip will only participate in the final stage of the dialogues.

Meanwhile, sources from the UPF informed that a 14-member delegation led by its spokesperson Aron Kipgen will be participating in the August 9 tripartite talks.

On Monday, in the run up to the third round of political dialogue between “Kuki armed nationalists” and the government of India, a meeting was held initiated by the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), the apex social body of the Kuki people, at Kuki Inn,

“Every Kuki organisation participated in the meeting and jointly resolved that, the political demand of the Kuki people beginning with the memorandum regarding statehood for the Kuki people which the Kuki National Assembly submitted to Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India in 1964, has consistently remained one of Statehood,” the KIM said.

Today’s meeting also resolved that “the same demand was reiterated at the Kuki Nampi Conclave at Haipi from August 28 to August 29, 2015”. The Haipi Declaration for Statehood was further ratified.

 Preceding the Haipi Declaration was the Delhi Declaration adopted on September 2, 2010 in which every existing Kuki revolutionary organization at the time participated, KIM added.

“Therefore, the Kuki Suspension of Operation (SoO) groups are, hereby, re-assured that Kuki people within India always stood for self-determination in the form of a State under the ambit and Union of India, and the same stand reaffirmed today.

 Accordingly we urge the delegation representing the Kuki armed nationalists under SoO with the government of India to unequivocally present the Kuki people’s demand for statehood at the upcoming tripartite meeting scheduled for August 9, at New Delhi. Any departure from this long standing political position of the Kuki people will be deemed a betrayal of Kuki people and their aspiration,” was one of the five resolutions taken today.

“Finally, this year of the Lord 2017 having marked the centennial year of our forefathers’ defence of Kuki territories and freedom against the British colonial incursions in the Kuki Rising of 1917-1919. We urge the Government of India to finally recognize our long standing political demand/our birthright to self-determination by the creation of a State for the Kuki people under the Indian Union,” the fifth resolution said.

Tripartite talks to resume Aug 9

Newmai News Network

IMPHAL |Aug 7

Two days before the third round of the tripartite talks of Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People’s Front (UPF) in New Delhi, Kuki civil bodies have urged the two umbrella bodies of “Kuki armed nationalists” to “unequivocally present the Kuki people’s demand for statehood”. 

On August 9, the KNO and UPF will be holding tripartite talks with the government of India and the State government of Manipur in New Delhi.

Amid this development, KNO ‘Negotiator’ Dr Seilen Haokip told this agency tonight that they will stick to their agenda. “We are not demanding anybody’s land. We believe in peaceful co-existence with our neighbours,” said Dr Seilen Haokip.

A 9-member delegation of the KNO headed by ‘Negotiator’ Dr Seilen Haokip will be participating in the tripartite talks. Dr Seilen Haokip also said that KNO ‘Chief Negotiator’ who is also the President of the organization PS Haokip will only participate in the final stage of the dialogues.

Meanwhile, sources from the UPF informed that a 14-member delegation led by its spokesperson Aron Kipgen will be participating in the August 9 tripartite talks.

On Monday, in the run up to the third round of political dialogue between “Kuki armed nationalists” and the government of India, a meeting was held initiated by the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), the apex social body of the Kuki people, at Kuki Inn,

“Every Kuki organisation participated in the meeting and jointly resolved that, the political demand of the Kuki people beginning with the memorandum regarding statehood for the Kuki people which the Kuki National Assembly submitted to Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India in 1964, has consistently remained one of Statehood,” the KIM said.

Today’s meeting also resolved that “the same demand was reiterated at the Kuki Nampi Conclave at Haipi from August 28 to August 29, 2015”. The Haipi Declaration for Statehood was further ratified.

 Preceding the Haipi Declaration was the Delhi Declaration adopted on September 2, 2010 in which every existing Kuki revolutionary organization at the time participated, KIM added.

“Therefore, the Kuki Suspension of Operation (SoO) groups are, hereby, re-assured that Kuki people within India always stood for self-determination in the form of a State under the ambit and Union of India, and the same stand reaffirmed today.

 Accordingly we urge the delegation representing the Kuki armed nationalists under SoO with the government of India to unequivocally present the Kuki people’s demand for statehood at the upcoming tripartite meeting scheduled for August 9, at New Delhi. Any departure from this long standing political position of the Kuki people will be deemed a betrayal of Kuki people and their aspiration,” was one of the five resolutions taken today.

“Finally, this year of the Lord 2017 having marked the centennial year of our forefathers’ defence of Kuki territories and freedom against the British colonial incursions in the Kuki Rising of 1917-1919. We urge the Government of India to finally recognize our long standing political demand/our birthright to self-determination by the creation of a State for the Kuki people under the Indian Union,” the fifth resolution said.

Read more / Original news source: http://www.ifp.co.in/item/2652-kuki-bodies-urge-kno-upf-to-stick-to-statehood-demand