Naga scholars discuss Naga-Kuki conflict, and solution to being neighbours again

[caption id="attachment_215456" align="aligncenter" width="565"] Scholars seen here in discussion during a panel discourse on the issue of ethnic conflicts in Manipur. The event was organised by the Naga Scholars’ Association, in Delhi.[/caption] Dimapur, Oct. 30 (EMN): The Naga Scholars’ Association (NSA) organized a panel discussion on the issue of ethnic conflicts in Manipur and the challenges from it, on October 26 in the School of International Studies in New Delhi. The group issued a press release to the media on Tuesday offering updates about the discussions. Dr. Zuchamo Yanthan, president of the association, was quoted in the press release as having opined that the ethnic conflicts in Manipur were a major concern across various sections of society in the state and the Naga people had been one of the main victims of the conflict. It was for this reason that the NSA initiated the discourse under the broad theme of “Ethnic conflicts in Manipur. The panel members included its chairperson Prof. Yaruingam Awungshi and two panellists Dr. Tuisem Ngakang and Dr. Khole Timothy Poumai, the updates stated. A focus of the discussions was the Naga-Kuki conflict, particularly on the genesis of the conflict, nature of it, and other major incidents, the updates stated. According to the press release, the discussions traced the genesis of the conflict to the 19th century when the Kuki people migrated to the Naga areas of present Manipur state from Myanmar, erstwhile Burma, and the subsequent British deployment of the immigrant Kuki to help check the unrest of the Naga people against the British interference. ‘In the process of helping the British to subdue the Naga unrest, the Kukis also acquired lands in the Naga areas. However, they were met with stiff encounters from the Naga villages, although some Kukis could avail some lands for settlement by paying royalty to the Naga villages concerned. In all such Kuki villages, the names of the new Kuki villages were prefixed by the names of the Naga villages concerned,” stated the press release, explaining the line of discussions. Dr. Timothy was quoted as having stated, that with the increase in the number of the Kuki people, the Kuki began to populate in some pockets of Naga areas where they became dominant. The discourse also gave an insight as to how the Naga-Kuki relationship took a very different turn in the 1990s which conflict caused huge casualty to both the Naga and the Kuki people, with hundreds of people dead, houses burned and massive displacement of villagers. “Dr. Tuisem stressed that it is more important to focus toward building stronger relationship rather than considering the other as a threat. This is for the fact that Nagas and Kukis will always live as neighbours. He opined that both communities can offer many good things to one another. He felt that the scholars have a crucial responsibility towards rebuilding trust for a better future of the Nagas and Kukis,’ the press release stated. The statement added that Prof. Yaruingam Awungshi, the chairperson of the panel discussions, concluded by saying that the Naga and Kuki people should learn to live as good neighbours by reflecting on the South African experience ‘where truth and reconciliation went hand in hand.’