Luntinsat
The Greatest Challenge of the Hour
‘Our state, in the puritans’ eye: Penitence is the way out
Certain church leaders, particularly the puritans who lead a pious life, would take no time to comment whenever a great misfortune befalls the Kuki nation. To them, the tragedies – be it the Zoupi massacre, which is now remembered as Kuki Black day or 1992-95 Naga-Kuki ethnic crisis, 1997 Churachanpur crisis, factional killings among the armed groups of Hs, Ks, or Zs, the 2001 Kuki Inpi divide, UNLF’s humiliation or suppression since 2001, so on and so forth – all are attributed to the failure of spiritual or moral obligations on our part, and therefore for them, remedial measures are penitence, repentance and propitiation alone. Perhaps they are right in their spiritual point of view. Yes, the interpretation that our failure to live up to God’s standard is directly responsible for our fate is so convincingly demonstrated that we are not able to provide any credible objection.
Our state, in a different perspective: Can solve ourselves
While accepting the above postulation, we should also delve into the problems from the same but slightly a different perspective. To begin with, let us ask ourselves just two questions. First, when does God work miracles? The undisputed answer is, ‘only when human wisdom runs out or has no means to solve a particular problem’. The second question is: Are the problems we are going through rarest of the rare and among the most complex ones ever seen on earth such that the solutions to these are beyond our wisdom? If so, why not, miracles must work. But, our problems are not cases like these. We may keep praying and fasting but must never expect miracles to happen. Neither will the angelic army come to our rescue nor will the heavenly fire descend to burn up the UNLF. The reason is, God has endowed us miraculously with powerful minds and intelligent brains to manage our own affairs to a certain degree. At times, it is provocative or a dishonor to ask of God to intervene in our life’s trivial matters, when answers can come from within our own mind.
Constitutional security: A vain hope
The Government of India (the choice of which we, as citizens, also play a part) is constitutionally obliged to protect and guarantee security to all its citizens. However, being comparatively centralized one, we, the Kukis who live on the periphery will probably remain marginalized in all spheres (security, economy, development, education, healthcare, communication, etc) unless we think big, come together, and defend ourselves. Needless to say, the death toll at the hands of NSCN (IM) in the early 90s might have been a hundred times bigger than the recorded figure had the Kuki army not been founded. Look at what happens in mainland India, for example 2002 Gujarat, where the state actors themselves, instead of preventing, fuelled the communal riot that ended hundreds of lives. Besides, when issues such as proper utilization of the public funds for development, day-to-day hardships, police-atrocities and human rights abuses are no more subjects of concern for even our own representatives (MLS’s & MP’s), we cannot and should not put too much trust in the state.
Factionalism: Deviation from goal and the hurdles for unity
As long as the armed groups – Hs, Ks and Zs – feel no scruple about waging vying in futile a battle for supremacy, which is but a sheer waste of resources, striking at their noble political goals or demands, they will, for sure, remain as mere organizations of dreamers without moving anywhere from where they are now. This has dashed the nation’s hope for freedom while our expectation for Zaleengam hangs on the balance.
I am often reminded of the substance of the rhyme “Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat” which Pu Rev. Dino (Chaplain of the Kuki Worship Service, Delhi) is fond of citing during his pulpit sermons. The cat, which went to London to look at the beauty of the Queen, on reaching completely forgot its purpose of visit and was instead found playing with a mouse. Likewise, the armed groups seem to have lost track of their primary objectives. Instead of the enemy, the barrels of their guns are aiming at each other while civilians are not spared also. We, who used to take pride at the sight of our men in uniform, are now frightened; a young man all of a sudden may lose his life on mere suspicion. Reportedly, words hurled at each other during the vicious battle project how inaccommodative they are. Unlike other revolutionaries, a brief interaction with one of the cadres would give you a vivid image of how the organization he belongs to has side-tracked or sharply deviated from its earlier goal, which was to defend the lives and dignity all the Kukis.
Obviously, the armed groups are simply good at visualizing their goals but completely fail in policy making plus implementation to achieve these objectives. There has never been expression of public opinion over sensitive and important issues such as the Kuki-Naga territory or boundary issue, the Manipur integration issue, whether or not to give shelter to the Meitei insurgents, to name just a few. The absence of consultation is the root cause of UNLF’s rampant presence in Chandel and Churachandpur, where our people have been killed or maimed by landmines, our women are raped and the rest are used as porter or are tortured. Let us use our instinctive human sense to distinguish between what is right and what is wrong, urgent and non-urgent, and permissible and surely non-permissible actions. It is high time the conflict in Sapaimeina and Saikul vicinities, which only erodes the credibility of the parties involved, is stopped at the earliest and at any cost because this is not just a question that concerns the armed groups alone but also the entire Kuki nation.
23rd March Rally: The proof of ‘Unity is Strength’
In the last rally held on 23 March, even the young boys and girls who keep low profile knew exactly which roles would best fit them and so made invaluable contribution. Painters in cutting banners and writing placards, scribes in writing the memorandum & press release, good vocalists in shouting the slogans, good physiques in volunteering, courteous girls in supplying drinking water, the rest holding placards as they marched towards Parliament Street.
During the 30-minute confrontation with the police and Rapid Action Force (RAF), the immense contributions made by the girl students cannot and must not be underestimated. While some of them were spontaneously busy distributing beads of toothpaste to those whose eyes were affected by teargas for instant recovery, the others were providing first aid to those injured. Though one did not realize at the moment how well organized the demonstration by students who had no pre-training was, the reassessment of their strength that compelled the well trained and armed to the teeth police and RAF to retreat twice back to their barrack (Station) has, however, proved in practical the maxim “unity is strength”.
Sincere and honest effort for Unity: A far greater challenge than vying for supremacy
Now, if 30 minutes of unity by unarmed students can show such strength before the combined force of Delhi Police and RAF, why can’t the armed groups of Hs, Ks and Zs show similar lesson to the UNLF? Instead of perilously competing for the position of BOSS inside the prison cell (Manipur), it is a noble cause to jointly fight to break the door of that cell open for the freedom of all. That would be manly and honorable.
Even after they conceded defeat in the Anglo-Kuki War, our forefathers whom we often ridicule for ‘Thihnang & Puonsan Demand’ were at least able to retain if not all, some of their past glory and still continue to enjoy tributes from outsiders who wished to live in the former ‘s territory. Contrastingly pitiful is, now with AK-47/56, G-3/4, LMG, M-16/21 rifles, best mobile handsets and cars in hand, we live a life of servitude under these outsiders. It took the mighty British (the world’s Super Power of the time) two years (1917-19) to subjugate our ancestors whereas today it takes the UNLF just an order or a command to make us their subjects. Our people in Churachandpur hill areas are, without option, the UNLF’s porters and those in Chandel are not different either.
Considering these negative impacts of antagonistic division among us, finding out a formula for unity should be, by far, a greater challenge today than vying for supremacy. The most viable solution for the above mentioned problems demands sincere and honest will and effort from the leaderships of the organizations involved. The leaders must bury all sorts of ego and must be ready to work towards the solution at any cost. Realizing reconciliation as a powerful instrument for building peace and unity, it should be effectively utilized.
Review of the organizational goal and policy structure
The executives of the armed groups need to review from time to time their own organizations’ goal and policy structure, which must be clearly stated. Some suggested ideas are:
1) to set clear lists of objectives in order of priority and alongside these, the step-by-step procedures to be followed to achieve the objectives.
2) to examine whether or not a particular aim pursued and the method adopted thereof are in line with the organization’s principle and policy structure.
3) to weigh the conflicting issues in terms of national interest rather than in terms of personal interest.
4) to make an honorable decision over a sensitive issues only after hearing public opinion.
5) to sort out the issues which are most difficult and to consider taking the help of experts in these particular complex business for better management of the organization.
The participation of civil society in building peace and unity
Last but not the least, participation of the public - the civil servants, farmers, students, intellectuals, and church leaders, etc – is absolutely essential and should not be overlooked. If it is clearly perceived that there is no likelihood of initiating steps for unification being taken by the armed groups, then civil society should not remain a silent spectator. We cannot snub this clarion call – the cry of our people - to action.
Besides, the tall claims of Kukiland or Zalengam should not be allowed to overshadow the suffering with which we are inflicted due to non-stop armed clash among the Hs-Ks-Zs groups. How can we live in peace and even expect big achievements, by entrusting such a high-skill intensive task – national security, self-governance, etc – to the armed sections of the society alone? After witnessing such a failure of political progress, if do still have exclusive fath on the armed groups, we are but deceiving ourselves. Therefore, it is the duty of those who realize this to reorganize our traumatized society on a people-centre basis. Unless this is done and unchecked armed clash is brought to an end, we cannot free ourselves from the shackles of suffering and carnage, with which we are tormented and threatened today and, all talk of Kukiland or Zalengam is undisguised hypocrisy. Take your step now.
The author is the General Secretary of the Kuki Students Democratic Front (KSDF).
(Note: Apology for any error in language. Request is made that readers concentrate on the idea conveyed only. This is a personal piece and does not reflect the view of any organization).
