Rongmei, Zeme & Inpui tribe councils urge Kuki CSOs to give up claim on Mt Koubru

Newmai News Network
IMPHAL, July 27: Rongmei Naga Council, Manipur (RNCM), Inpui Naga Union, Manipur (INUM) and Zeme Naga Council, Manipur (ZNCM) have appealed to the Kuki civil society organisations to give up the claim on the Koubru range and all the lands belonging to the indigenous communities as their ancestral land.
RNCM, INUM and ZNCM said their effort is in the interest of peaceful coexistence among different communities.
In a joint press statement, the three tribe bodies said that they have been closely following the developments taking place in an around the Koubru mountain specially after the notification issued by the Arts and Culture department, government of Manipur in connection with the declaration of the Lai Pukhri and the surrounding areas for preservation as  holy and religious sites of lord Koubru "who is the ancient god of the indigenous communities particularly the Meiteis, Rongmeis, Liangmais, Inpuis, Thangals, Zemes since time immemorial".
The joint statement further said that Inpui, Zeme and Rongmei tribes are historically the closest kins of the Liangmai tribe right from the dispersal from Makuilongdi ancient village nearly 1700 years back till today.
The statement added that the above mentioned tribes have been living together sharing common history, common land boundaries, common customary and traditional practices.
The joint statement then said that Inpui, Zeme and Rongmei tribal councils after closely following the "unfounded and baseless claims" made by some civil societies belonging to the "so-called Kuki tribe" over the ancestral homelands of the Rongmeis, Inpuis and the Liangmais which fall on the western side of the Imphal river.  
The joint statement further said that the forefathers of the Inpui, Zeme, Rongmei and Liangmai kindred tribes maintained well defined land boundaries with one another. It further said that Inpui, Zeme, Rongmei tribal councils have crossed checked the claims of the Liangmai Naga Council over the Koubru mountain range and have confirmed from the elders of the concerned tribes that there has been no dispute amongst them since time immemorial and the claim of the Liangmai Naga Council ( (Eastern zone) is an indisputable fact.
According to the elders of the kindred tribes, the existing Liangmai villages surrounding Koubru mountain range are very ancient villages which are more than 1700 years old, it added.
The joint statement then said, "It is very unfortunate for the people who recently came to settle in the lands of the indigenous people, instead of acknowledging the generosity and goodwill of their benefactors have been consistently trying to establish false history by distorting the story of the indigenous people to justify their imaginary claim as their ancestral lands".
The joint statement then added, "The Inpui, Zeme and Rongmei tribal councils, therefore, in the interest of peaceful coexistence among different communities, appeal to the Kuki civil society organisations to give up the claim on the Koubru range and all the lands belonging to the indigenous communities as their ancestral land".