Black colour, mourning, and silence donned the entire Kangpokpi district on Tuesday as the Kukis observed the 28th Sahnit Ni (Kuki Black Day) bemoaning and commemorating the thousands of their innocent fellows killed in the alleged 'Kuki Genocide' perpetrated by Th Muivah led NSCN (I-M) in the 1990s.
The Sahnit Ni was also observed across the globe and India by the Kukis spreading mainly in the Northeastern states of Assam, Nagaland, and Manipur seeking 'Justice' for the more than thousands of victims killed, lakh of displaced Kuki people and hundreds of displaced Kuki villages in the alleged ethnic pogrom of the Naga militants of National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah).
Apart from mourning and commemorating the victims, the Kukis also demonstrated their discontentment of not delivering justice as bonafide citizens of India on the part of the Manipur Government and the Government of India despite more than 60 memoranda to the governments seeking justice during the 28 years observation.
As directed by Kuki Inpi, the Kukis hoisted a black flag in their respective houses, while donning a black cloth or traditional attire and avoiding traveling, working in farms or fields, rather they engaged themselves in a mass prayer the whole day.
At Kangpokpi District Headquarters, shops belonging to the Kuki community were seen closed for the day, and vehicles belonging to the Kukis were off the road while black flags were seen hoisted along the roadside.
Sahnit Ni was observed in all churches of the town while some churches organised whole night mass prayer.
At Gelnal village in the Twilang area, Sahnit Ni was wisely observed by the villagers along with the survivors of the alleged NSCN (I-M) pogrom. The villagers and the survivors have sordid tales of horror and gory incidents to tell about the massacre of 17 villagers of Gelnal village alone before 28 years on this particular day in 1993 pushing the day's heads count to 115 including 88 villagers of Joupi and Janglenphai, and victims of Santing and Nungthut village out of thousands during the alleged Kuki Genocide perpetrated by the NSCN (I-M).
A mass procession was also held from the village church campus to the site where a memorial stone was erected in which all the names of the victims were listed. At the memorial site, floral tributes were paid to the departed soul and the Kuki leaders also beat a traditional gong, 'Dahpi' as a tribute apart from the gun salute.
The 1993 September 13 incident of the alleged “methodic savageries” and the sheer magnitude of the well-planned massacre shocked the whole world turning the day as the 'Blackest Day' in the history of the Kukis which the BBC reported as "ethnic cleansing by Naga separatist", the CNN called "Kuki Genocide" and other world media called it as "Bloody ethnic cleansing".
Failure of the Indian Government to deliver justice to the victims of the NSCN (I-M)-led Kuki Genocide despite signing 'The Universal Declaration of Human Rights containing 30 Articles' on December 10, 1948, pledging to protect its own people and deliver justice in case of any problems accordingly to the Indian laws were also strongly emphasized at Gelnal's Sahnit Ni observation.
At Kholmun village in Kangpokpi also the Sahnit Ni was observed by the villagers, victims' families, and survivors.
Dulen village chief, whose village had also been among the displaced Kuki villages opined that the Kuki people will be the only nation next to the Jews during Hitler's regime, who observed Black Day in the world.
The mass prayers in all the Sahnit Ni observances have a common prayer point for the Kuki community and their leaders, justice for the NSCN (I-M)-led Kuki Genocide victims, etc.
Meanwhile, the Kuki Black Day was also observed at Kuki Inpi Churachandpur (KIC) complex in Churachandpur district in the presence of KIC president and Saikot assembly constituency MLA on Tuesday.
The Kuki Black Day was observed in remembrance of the departed souls of more than 1,000 Kukis who were killed in the “ethnic cleansing” by the Naga Separatist organisation NSCN-IM during 1992 to 1997.
Speaking at the event, KIC president said that the event was organised to show respect to the departed souls of the incident.
The programme was attended by KIC president Letpu Haokip, Saikot assembly constituency MLA, Kuki National Organisation (KNO) defence secretary Ts Haokip along with representatives of Kuki CSOs including Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) Churachandpur, Kuki Khanglai Lompi (KKL) and Kuki Women Human Right.
During the programme candle lighting ceremony was conducted at the three monoliths at the KIC complex which were erected in remembrance of the departed souls of the “ethnic cleansing” incident.
The Kuki Black Day was observed in different parts of Churachandpur district with Kukis displaying black flags in their residences. All the private schools and most private establishments of the district were closed in observance of the state of mourning and prayers for the departed souls of the “ethnic cleansing” incident.
Our Moreh correspondent has added that the day was also organised by Hill Tribal Council (HTC) and Moreh Pastor Fellowship (MPF) at the HTC Conference Hall at Moreh town in Tengnoupal district on Tuesday.
The event was attended by leaders and representatives of Hill Tribal Council (HTC), Kuki Chief Association Moreh, Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO), Kuki Women Union and Human Rights, Moreh Pastor Fellowship (MPF), Kuki Khanglai Laumpi, Inpi Chambers of Commerce Moreh and KCTS.
In observance of the Kuki Black Day, all the private establishments in Moreh were closed till 12 noon while all the educational and financial institutions were closed for the day.
Demand for Reservation: Meitei-Pangal students threaten to launch stir
Narrow-mindedness root cause of crimes against women: MLA Sheikh Noorul Hassan
Villagers clash with police over land survey for highway expansion in Tengnoupal
