Ever since the breakout of ethnic violence between the Meiteis and Kukis, one could perceive a noticeable change in the political behaviour of the Meiteis vis-à-vis the idea of Manipur. Keeping Manipur intact while taking along the various communities, big or small, was first and foremost in the minds of Meiteis. Notwithstanding the divide created by the colonial Britishers which had given birth to varied ethnic aspirations, the Meitei community as a whole had always been championing the cause of Manipur’s territorial integrity and the ethos of a collective people forged through a shared historical experience and interdependence.
For the Meiteis, it has always been Manipur first and Meitei second. And, it was indeed a formidable task for the mainstream civil society organisations in the valley in trying to bridge the artificial gap created by the colonialists. In terms of upkeep of the state’s territorial integrity, the political divide was mostly between the Meiteis and the Nagas while the Kukis more or less remained as observers. Well, that has changed drastically as Meiteis and Kukis are aligned on opposite sides of the pole in view of their demand for a separate administration.
Smaller tribes like the Kom, Koireng, Chiru, Chothe, Lamkang, Anal, Maring, Moyon, Monsang or Aimol etc who were classified as Old Kukis by British ethnographers in view of their culture and traditions have chosen to project themselves of not belonging to any of the major groupings in the hills, but always shown loyalty to the territorial integrity of Manipur in view of their close association with the valley population since time immemorial.
Today, these smaller tribes are caught in the crossfire between the Nagas and the Kukis. NSCN (I-M) supremo Thuingaleng Muivah in his quest for Greater Nagaland had long ago successfully incorporated these smaller tribes into the Greater Naga brotherhood. However, as these small tribes are sparsely distributed mostly in the surrounding hills of the valley either adjacent to a Naga village or Kuki village they were often caught in the undercurrents of the enmity between Nagas and Kukis.
Recently the All Naga Students Association Manipur (ANSAM) had questioned the veracity of including the names of Naga tribes- Anal, Aimol, Chiru, Chothe, Lamkang, Moyon, Monsang, Kom etc. in the flyer of the recently concluded August 31, 2024, Global-Wide Rally by the Kuki-Zo Community. The Naga student body said it was nothing but trying to baselessly portray "their geography and demography" to suit their wildest demands of Kuki land within Naga areas which clearly prove their lies and false territorial claims.
On the other hand, Kuki CSOs had always been trying hard to bring them back to the Kuki fold. In the resultant friction, those who are settled in Kuki dominated areas seek refuge in the Kuki identity while those in Naga dominated areas declare themselves as Nagas. Tragedy is that, many leaders who chose to defy the pressure of both dominant groups or those who like to remain neutral have become victims and some of them had been exterminated. And the real purpose behind these incorporation designs is nothing but land and territory which had been their ancestral domain. In fact, these smaller tribes are associated more with the valley people as evident in their lores and cultural traditions while references would be found plenty in the age-old chronicles of the Meitei kings. These need to be respected and preserved by every community in the land.
