KNO points hands at NSCN-IM

IMPHAL, March 22: The Kuki National Organisation (KNO), one of the two umbrella bodies of the Kuki militant outfits has accused  the NSCN-IM of killing one Moshon Saka Maring aged about (45), son of Shotin Saka Maring of Khangshim village of Chandel district, Manipur on March 19.

According to Stephen Kuki, KNO's 'undersecretary' in-charge of information and publicity claimed that Moshon was the 'home secretary' of the little known militant outfit United Minority Liberation Army (UMLA), which is said to be a constituent of the Kuki National Organisation (KNO).

"Moshon was pulled out from a public meeting held at his village, Khamsing and shot dead near Komlathabi in Chandel district. The reason for the crime against him was his desire to be who he is, i.e. Kuki which UMLA represents, rather than be linked as ‘politically Naga’," the KNO leader further alleged.

Stephen Kuki then said the politics of identity is intrinsically connected with territory. "The Tangkhul-led NSCN (IM) has followed on the heels of Tangkhul Christian missionaries, who converted several ‘Old Kuki’ groups of Chandel district to Christianity around the 1960s. Moshon hailed from Maring-Khoibu community, one of the many ‘Old Kuki’ ‘tribes’ of Chandel district, the district populated by 100% of ‘Old and New Kukis’", the KNO information secretary claimed.

"Missionary zeal sans identity politics, would be laudable in most circles in Northeast India, where Christianity is the dominant religion. However, that was not so. Motivated by territorial ambitions, the socio-politico condition that the missionaries created was exploited by NSCN (IM) with the barrel of the gun to force identification as ‘politically Naga’. The consequences have been disastrous, e.g. the NSCN (IM)-led Kuki genocide from 1992-1997," the KNO leader pointed out.

Stephen Kuki also stated that peaceful co-existence is an ethos desired and cherished by most communities on this planet, including Christians. He also said in respect of NSCN (IM)’s tenet, ‘Nagaland for Christ’, Christian piety needs to be reflected in their political claims and deeds. To begin with, they need to admit that a ‘uniqueness of Naga history’ lies in identifying certain ‘tribes’ of Chandel district as Nagas and demanding their lands as Nagalim, Stephen advised.

The KNO leader said the NSCN (IM) must adopt truth as a principle that governs their actions.

"The killing Moshon is an affront on the Kuki people and KNO. Unless NSCN (IM) prefers to continue with their culture of killing - a trait abundantly exhibited particularly against the Kuki people - they must desist from engaging in identity politics," said Stephen Kuki.