KRA spells out clear stand

Imphal, December 09: The Kuki Revolutionary Army today threatened to continue with its armed struggle until the killing of Kuki people by UPDS militants in Assam?s Karbi Anglong district stops. KRA ?divisional commandant? of Nagaland, Karbi Anglong and NC Hills, Thangkeng Sanghshing told reporters, whom they took to their camp, today that "if the killing of our Kuki people continued, we will not sit idle but retaliate. We are ready to fight". Sanghshing alleged that there was a conspiracy to drive out the Kukis from Karbi Anglong as they did not have any political leader or representative in the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council or State Government. Referring to the Kuki-Karbi ethnic clash in the district, he asserted that "we have no enmity with the Karbi outfit United Peoples Democratic Solidarity (anti-talk faction)". "We in fact invite them for talks as we want peace in Karbi Anglong. We appeal to them to come forward for peace talks for solution to the problems. Even if any Karbi leader calls us for discussions we will go", the KRA leader said. He, however, regretted that "the UPDS does not want to hold talks with us because we have links with the Dima Halim Daoga (a Dimasa militant outfit)". Referring to the recent ethnic clash between the Kukis and Karbis, Sanghshing said it was triggered by the killing of three Kuki boys by the UPDS on November one near the Singhason hills, an area much in demand by both the tribes as it was rich in ginger (a cash crop). Stating that no other insurgent outfits had joined the KRA in the ongoing ethnic violence, Sanghshing claimed that others were willing to join forces even if it was unwilling to include them. Tracing the Kuki?s origins to Mongolia who came to Tripura during the British Raj, he said, the KRA was formed in Karbi Anglong in December 1999 with the demand for a ?Kuki national council? in Nagalim in Nagaland, if formed by the NSCN-IM. Categorically denying they were the KRA from Manipur, he said his KRA had no links with the Manipur outfit and that it was an independent organization. Giving details of the KRA formation, he said the outfit?s commander-in-chief and president was Hangsig and had a strength of 450 cadres with 180 of them in Karbi Anglong. They were supported by the United Kuki Liberation Front, Military Council, Kuki National Front (Jougam), both NSCN-IM and NSCN-Khaplang, National Democratic Front of Bodoland and DHD. SHDDC resolves: Sadar Hills District Demand Committee has resolved to take up any sort of agitations including bandh and economic blockade, etc after December 10 if the Government fails to respect the ultimatum served on December 1. A meeting of the Committee was held today where the members discussed the ultimatum served to the Chief Minister on December 1 and took serious note of the failure of the Government to give a positive response to the demand for creation of Sadar Hills as a full-fledged revenue district, Committee general secretary Thangjakam Misao informed, adding that the detail of agitation to be launched would be announced soon.