The IMTN-Indigenous Minority Tribes of Nagaland-a conglomeration of the Indigenous recognized Tribes of Nagaland Namely Kuki, Kachari, Garo & Karbi/Mikir- would like to Respond and gets the facts straight of the statement of Naga Hoho who had used the above indigenous recognized Tribes Status example in relation to the recommendation for the recognition of the Rongmei’s Tribe in the State of Nagaland as one of the newly recognized Tribe.
That the four above mentioned tribes-Kuki, Kachari, Garo & Mikir/Karbi- have been part and parcel of the evolution of the state of Nagaland, since time immemorial even before the state of Nagaland was established on 1st December 1963, these four tribes have been living within the ancestral land of today’s Nagaland even before the advent of the Britishers or to say has been established and living even before India’s Independence.
In order to get the facts and record straight for the understanding of Naga Hoho and the general younger public of our beloved state of Nagaland as the older generations know very well the history and contributions of this Indigenous Tribes in the formation and establishment of our State of Nagaland. The four Tribes have been living since time immemorial and has walked, contributed and shed equal blood and tears with other tribes of Nagaland in every struggle and challenges faced by us-all recognized tribes that is the 16 tribes plus Garo & Mikir.
That the Four Tribes were recognized by the Presidential Order of 1970 Constitutionally along with the other Naga Tribes on the very same day, year and time, which was further de-classified under the 16 Tribes of Nagaland like for example-Angami, Ao, Sumi, Lotha, Konyak etc. The four tribes were given equal rights and privileges as per various Office Memorandums along with other recognized tribes of Nagaland from the very day the statehood of Nagaland was created. This Rights and privileges were given not because of sympathy or out of misery but due to the contributions and possession of conditions like other recognized tribes of Nagaland.
The Kuki’s have been part and parcel of the state of Nagaland since time immemorial even before the creation of the statehood of Nagaland. The Kuki tribe have about 20+ Villages-6 Villages in present Dimapur District and the rest in present Peren District, previously known as Zeliang-Kuki Area- with clear cut demarcated boundaries with their neighboring fellow Tribes even before the advent of the Britishers in erstwhile Naga Hill or creation of the state hood of Nagaland. The oldest Village being almost 300 + years old as of today namely Songlhu Village in present Peren district, likewise all this 20 + Villages were established much before the concept of Statehood idea was even contemplated.
The Uniqueness of Naga History which has been even recognized by the Government of India and the world is base on the famous Simon Commission Memorandum submitted in 1929 has the signature of one of the participant of a Kuki Tribe represented by Late. Lengjang Kuki. Mr. Seikhohen Doungel was one of the member of the Constitution drafting committee and as Naga member delegation who had met Mahatma Gandhi to apprise him of the aspiration of the Naga people to remain as free Nation when the Britishers leaves India.
Likewise when the First Interim Body(IBM) was set up in 1961 for the state of Nagaland, Mr. Lutjakai Kuki was a member of IBM who is still alive today as a living example of the participant of the Kuki in the affair of the state of Nagaland before and after the creation of the state of Nagaland in 1963. The Kuki had two MLA- Mr. Langkam Kuki- Ghaspani AC and Mr. Lalkholam Kuki-Tening AC in the first State Assembly in 1964 which was followed later by Late. H.L. Singson appointed as a Minister in the Nagaland State Assembly.
The Kachari history dates back all the way to the 10th Century AD when they had established the Dima Raja Kingdom in the present only commercial city of Nagaland-Dimapur and whose legacy as proof is still standing of their might and history till today in Rajbari. At present the Kachari’s has about 15 Villages only within the State of Nagaland all dating back even before the state hood of Nagaland was created in 1963 and the history of Kachari’s is not a matter of years but of Centuries with clear cut demarcated boundaries and territories.
The Kachari also had Interim Body Member (IBM) represented by Mr. D.L. Mech in 1961 Interim Body. Kachari MLA like Mr. Debalal Mech, Mr. Lalit Mech, G.C. Paira had represented in the Nagaland State Assembly by virtue of being an Indigenous and once highly recognized and respected Tribes of Kachari in our State of Nagaland.
The Garo had established themselves even before the advent of the Britishers in the Naga Hills and had their Villages and establishments set up before the creation of the state of Nagaland in 1963. They have about only 5 (five) Villages left in our present State of Nagaland but all established way back before the creation of the state of Nagaland.
The Karbis/Mikirs among the four Indigenous Minority Tribes has been the worst of lot as once their dominant places and habitats has become fully commercial thereby losing out their identity with the passage of time. However they also had been part and parcel of Nagaland prior to the creation of state of Nagaland mostly concentrated in present Dimapur district. They were at one time concentrated in Kashiram area and Lengrijan where the names of the places are derived from the Mikir Tribe. The few villages they had also disappeared with the passage of time due to migration to nearby state in search of jobs and livelihoods.
The Naga Hoho attempted to compare the Indigenous Minority Tribes like the Kuki, Kachari, Garo & Mikirs with the Rongmei’s is nothing but mischief and attempt to dilute the historical and traditional facts of these tribes to justify the claims of a Tribe whose past, History, Territories does not match and is Incomparable to these four tribes. The Minority Tribes has a clear past, traditions, boundaries and territories before and after the creation of the State of Nagaland and tradition and history which dates back even prior to the advent of the Britishers.
With due respect to the Rongmei Tribe, the attempt made by Naga Hoho and other tribes who are trying to get themselves recognized within the State of Nagaland to take the examples of the four Indigenous Minority Tribes as a yardstick and Equate themselves for recognitions is blatant distortion of facts and history.
The Naga Hoho and the government should known and realize that we did not get recognition as recognized Tribe in Nagaland out of sympathy and convenience but due to our contributions in the establishments of our present state of Nagaland and due to our clear cut possession of territories, Villages much prior to the creation of the Statehood of Nagaland. The reason for such existence and fulfillment of parameters made us equal brothers and sisters with other recognized Tribes of Nagaland which was further acknowledge by the Presidential Order of 1970 and other various Office memorandums of the government of Nagaland.
The present government and the NGO’s should not try to dilute the status of the Minority Recognized Tribes-Kuki, Kachari, Garo & Mikir-just because we had become second class citizens within our own state of Nagaland due to factors mostly beyond our controls and circumstances. The architect of our Statehood and Leaders of those days knew and had respected each other irrespective of their Tribes and Community and had recognized this Tribes Legally and Constitutionally as equal brothers and sisters.
That the background and politics for recognition of the Rongmei Tribe as one of the recognized tribe of Nagaland is known to all the other recognized Tribes and for which we the Indigenous Minority Tribes has nothing much to say as we ourselves are struggling to keep ourself secure, protect and safeguard our own identity as a tribes is going through herculean task reason best known to all of us where once we were equal partners in time of good and bad moments within the state of Nagaland.
The Naga Hoho and the present ruling Government of Nagaland is advise not to use us as an EXCUSE and EQUATE us in the same STATUS with the Rongmei Tribe in granting them the recognized Tribe in Nagaland as the above mentioned historical facts and analysis proves beyond reasonable doubt that we the Kuki, Kachari, Garo and Mikir had been part and parcel of Nagaland much before the creation of the statehood of Nagaland with clear History, Territories, Villages and boundaries like the other recognized Tribes of Nagaland.
That the present mischief attempt to Equate us with the Rongmei Tribe speaks volume and intention of the present State Government and Naga Hoho of its sincerity and honesty in protecting the integrity of our State of Nagaland where Lands, Resources and Jobs has become scare even for the present recognized Tribes-Tribes which were recognized during the creation of the statehood of Nagaland on 1st December 1963.
We therefore pray and request our other brothers and sisters of other Tribes who were recognized as one and equal during the creation of our state of Nagaland not to Fall for the Mischief and Gullible Lies and Distortion of truth and Facts by Comparing and Equating us with newly created Tribe whose facts and circumstances of History, Land, Territories and Villages are totally different in term of history, possession and ownership of Lands and territories within the State of Nagaland.
K. LUN TUNGNUNG,
President, IMTN.
