Nagaon, Dec. 25: The anti-talks faction of the United People?s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) has agreed to negotiate with the Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA) to end the ongoing ethnic feud in the hill district of Karbi Anglong. However, the Karbi militant group has imposed certain conditions. In a press note issued today, the anti-talks faction said it is ready to take part in ?peace talks? with the KRA if the Kuki militant organisation unconditionally releases nine Karbi villagers allegedly held hostage since October.
The nine villagers were allegedly abducted by the KRA from Thekerajan area two months back. This abduction is said to have sparked the bloody ethnic violence between Kukis and Karbis.
The Kuki Inpi, the apex organisation of the Kukis, also appealed to the anti-talks faction of the UPDS to cease hostilities against the Kukis living in the Singhasan Hills of Karbi Anglong.
The Assam unit general secretary of the Kuki Inpi, Khuphan Lhouvum, claimed the recent quit notice by the anti-talks faction ordering Kukis living in the Singhasan Hills to leave the region within December 31 was an instance of its long-term policy of ethnic cleansing.
He claimed that the proposal to declare the Singhasan Hills a forest reserve, deletion of names of Kuki voters listed in 1986 from the electoral rolls in Karbi Anglong and the recent quit notice proved that the Kukis in Karbi Anglong are considered foreigners.
Reacting to the recent demand to ban the Kuki National Assembly (KNA), he said the KNA was a socio-cultural organisation of the Kukis. He made it clear that the Kuki Inpi strongly supported the demand of the KNA for formation of a separate administrative council for the Kukis in the Singhasan Hills area as only this, he said, could facilitate a permanent solution to the ongoing problem.