Kuki Tribes

Kuki Tribes

Subject : Geography

Section: Tribes in news

News in Brief

A land survey led to violence in Manipur’s Kuki-dominated Churachandpur. Tribal bodies, particularly the Kukis ,are unhappy with a land survey being conducted by the state as they fear eviction. They claimed to continue non-cooperation against the government until it nullifies the 1966 government order declaring tribal areas as protected/reserved forests.

Kuki Tribes

The Kukis are an ethnic group of multiple tribes inhabiting the North-Eastern states of India-Manipur, Mizoram and Assam; parts of Burma (now Myanmar), and Sylhet district and Chittagong hill tracts of Bangladesh. ‘MimKut’ is the main festival of the Kuki tribe. In Manipur, the various Kuki tribes, living mainly in the hills, currently make up 30% of the total population. While Churachandpur is their main stronghold, they also have a sizable population in Chandel, Kangpokpi, Tengnoupal and Senapati districts.

The Chin-Kuki group consists of Gangte, Hmar, Paite, Thadou, Vaiphei, Zou, Aimol, Chiru, Koireng, and many others. The term Chin is used for the people in the neighboring Chin state of Myanmar whereas Chins are called Kukis in the Indian side. While Kuki is not a term coined by the ethnic group itself, the tribes associated with it came to be generically called Kuki under colonial rule.

Churachandpur-Khoupum Protected Forest

Spread across three districts of Churachandpur, Bishnupur, andNoney. Notified under Section 29 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927 by the Government of Manipur with a well-defined schedule of boundaries.

Tribe Related Constitutional Provisions and Laws

• Article 46 of DPSP – educational and economic interests of vulnerable sections
• Provisions of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 protect the land resource interests of tribals.
• Under Fifth Schedule, transfer of tribal land to private parties for mining can be declared null and void.
• Under Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 or PESA Act Gram Sabha has the right to mandatory consultation in land acquisition, resettlement and rehabilitation of displaced persons, ownership of minor forest products, prevention of land alienation, etc.

Section 144 of CrPC

It is meant for emergency situations. It empowers a district magistrate, a sub-divisional magistrate, or any other executive magistrate empowered by the state government, to issue orders to prevent and address urgent cases of apprehended danger or nuisance. It prohibits the gathering of four or more people in the concerned area, while during curfew people are instructed to stay indoors for a particular period. The government puts a complete restriction on traffic as well.