KUKI Body Decries Interpretation of 'Thangtin Hill' as Sacred Place for Meiteis

The issue of so claimed ‘Sacred Hill’ by the Meiteis and wrong interpretations as ‘Sacred Place’ for the Meiteis who burnt down more than 200 churches in Meitei majority Imphal Valley is totally false and baseless, claims Lomlhang Som, a traditional Zo ethnic Kuki Youths Dormitory Club.

Their clarification stands as under:

INSTALLATION OF CROSS AT THANGTING:

Under the initiation of LOMLHANG SOM and escorted by Village Volunteers (VV), the public of the region installed a Cross at Historical & Traditional Kuki religion spot – THANGTING, located within Ukha-Loikhai Village of Kuki Hills, India, outer Manipur on the 25th January 2024.

LAND OWNERSHIP:

That the said spot is located within ‘Kuki Hills’ of ‘Haokip Reserved of 1907, Land Holding Rights issued by the British Colonial Imperial Government and the Manipur Hill Durbar, acknowledged by Government of Manipur Vide Hill Misc. Matter No. 01 of 1974.

UKHA-LOIKHAI DOCUMENT SEIZED:

The Land holding document/ Patta of UkhaLoikhai Village under Songpi Haokip Reserved of 1907 (CCPur) is seized by the Lomlhang Som so that Govt. of Manipur should no longer disturb the Chief.

LOCATIONS:

Thangting has been the abode of Manmasi people since time immemorial later known as Kukis since 1770s, is situated and located within the Jurisdictions of ‘Haokip Reserved’ of Colonial Era of Ukha Loikhai Village, centuries before the creation of Manipur state in 1972.

KUKI TRADITIONAL RELIGION:

Before the advent of Christianity, the spot had been the ‘Sacred Site’ of Kuki traditional Religion -‘NUNGJAI PATHEN’, for centuries. The Meiteis who settled in the Valley later on embraced and called as IBUDHOU THANGJING.

UNLAWFUL ACQUISITIONS:

The Government of Manipur forcefully acquired KOUBRU @ 2 Hectares from SAITU Village of Kangpokpi district and THANGTING (THANGJING) measuring 4 Hectares respectively Vide MANIPUR GAZETTE, Imphal, Tuesday, December 1, 2020, dated the 26th November 2020.

COMPLAINT/ OBJECTION:

Shri. Thenkhomang Haokip, Chief of Ukha Loikhai Village had submitted ‘A Complaint Letter’ addressed to the Commissioner (Arts & Culture), Government of Manipur, INDIA, dated January 1st, 2021, Vide RR. No. 54, dated 19/1/2021, and dated July 27th, 2022, Vide RR. No. 8, dated July 27th, 2022 respectively. In this regard, the owner and Chief of Ukha-Loikhai did not issue ‘No Objection Certificate’ (NOC) for the same.

NATIONAL COMMISSION (ST) NOTIFICATIONS:

Regarding the Complaint of the Public through the Chief of Ukha Loikhai Village, Shri. Thenkhomang Haokip, Research Officer Shri. H.R Meena, Vide F. No. NCST/DEV-1217/MN/6/2022- ESDW, dated, the 19th July 2023, issued an Order for INVESTIGATIONS.

SANAMAHISM MEITEI RELIGION:

IBUDHOU THANGJING of Meitei SANAMAHISM who claimed Thangting (Meitei version Thangjing) as Meitei Sacred site is a unique Traditional Meitei Religion. It is neither Hinduism, nor Islam or Buddhism or Christianity.

In connection with some organization misleading the name of the hill range, the Chief of Ukha-Loikhai village issued a clarification clearing the air of confusion today.

CLARIFICATION FROM UKHA LOIKHAI CHIEF:

The village chief  stated  that  Ukha  Loikhai Haokip Kuki Village is situated within ‘HAOKIP RESERVED-1907’ of Colonial Kuki Hills.

The    Village     Chief     clarifies     as     under:

1. That as the owner and Chief of the ‘Historical Site’, no individual or Organization or NGO has the right to distort my inherited ‘Land & Heritage’ from my forefathers.

• That Thangting is situated within my Chiefship jurisdiction and creation of Thangting Sub-Division was initiated by the Government of Manipur on the 25 August 2014 (The Sangai Express), which was later finalized for Kangvai.

That the PR of ZSF in distorting the century long History of Haokip Kukis of Ukha Loikhai and Thangting in its jurisdiction is very unfortunate and derogating. A certain Student body needs to respect and not interfere in the matter beyond History and Traditions, and not repeat baseless Zogam/ Zoland or Thangching or Thangsing in the Historical HAOKIP RESERVED of a Haokip Kuki village of UKHA-LOIKHAI