A man who accused the chief minister of Manipur and some civil society organisations of Manipur for branding ‘Kuki as illegal immigrant from Burma’ has disappeared after filing a complaint before the Manipur Human Rights Commission.
The man, claimed to be from Sita Village, Tengnoupal district, filed complaint petition through the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Net Portal, registering the case as complaint case No. 17/14/15/2023, for punishing All Manipur Youth Protection Committee members for incitement of communal hatred and defamatory statements against the ‘Kukis’. He also asked them to pay damages to the ‘Kukis’.
In the complaint petition, the man mentioned that Kukis are an indigenous tribal group of Manipur since times immemorial and the Kukis were brave Freedom Fighters of India with their first war with the British from 19917-1919 popularly known as the Kuki Rebellion/Kuki Rising/Anglo-Kuki War in defence or their freedom, dignity and ancestral lands.
And, during the second World War, the Kukis of Manipur joined the Indian National Army under the leadership of Subhash Chandra Bose to free our country from British Rule. Most of the INA pensioners from Manipur being Kukis is the evidence, he states.
Despite having historic sacrifices, Kukis are now discriminated against and mistreated in their own lands. Certain Meitei/Naga based organizations and individuals of Manipur are blindly branding the Kukis as illegal immigrants from Burma, the petition stated.
A local daily newspaper in Manipur reported on March 15 in which All Manipur Youth Protection Committee (AMYPCO) blindly branded the Kukis tribals of Manipur as illegal immigrants from Burma. In the past too, Federation of Haomee, Kangleipak Kanba Lup and World Meitei Council and even the chief minister of Manipur too have been doing the same, the petition stated.
Regarding the complaint petition, the MHRC listed the case on March 23, but none appeared on behalf of the petitioner. Again, the case was listed on March 27 to explain how and in what manner the contention made in the complaint petition has come within the preview of the Human Rights Commission. But the complainant, even after receipt of notice, did not appear before the commission.
The commission communicated to the complainant petitioner but after receiving the e-mail he did not appear before the commission.
While regarding his allegation against the chief minister and some civil society organisations, the MHRC opined that before making a complaint against any person or community he should confirm regarding the statement published from those persons who allegedly made it.
In the local newspaper reports, The All-Manipur Youth Protection Committee has questioned as to how the ‘Kukis’ were inserted in the Schedule Tribe list of Manipur state in 1976. Such a statement and/or question itself cannot be a defamatory statement, in the democratic country every citizen has the right to express his opinion, keeping himself within the limit of Constitutional Provision, the MHRC stated.
“But for such an expression ‘Kukis’ are not going to be out listed from Presidential Order of Schedule Tribe of Manipur, Subject to those ‘Kukis’ are Indian National but mere inclusion of Kukis of India as Schedule Tribe does not give ‘Kukis’ of Foreign National, as Tribe of Manipur or any other States.
This principle is not only applicable for ‘Kukis’ but for other Tribes also who were either departing or are departing into Indian State from Foreign Country, even in the case of Foreign Meetei also the similar Principle of Law is applicable”, stated the MHRC.
And also, not only ‘Kukis’ but the people of all other communities who loved the Motherland of India fought for India’s Freedom movement, the commission informed.
Further, the allegation against the chief minister was not in detail, when and where the chief minister made defamatory statements against the entire indigenous tribal of Kuki communities.
However, the commission found that the various local newspapers reported that the government of Manipur is setting up a temporary shelter home for Myanmar Nationals including Kukis who fled their Country in the wake of the unrest in Myanmar.
Hence, the commission closed the complaint petition.
