This is the third and concluding installment of a three-part interview with Dr. Seilen Haokip, spokesperson for the Kuki National Organisation (KNO), who recently made headlines after being removed from a panel discussion at the Delhi Literary Festival—allegedly due to pressure from the Meitei lobby. Dr. Seilen Haokip confronts the accusations head-on, from the allegations of illegal immigration to the claims of narco-terrorism. With historical evidence, personal insights, and sharp critiques of state policies, he challenges the dominant narrative and demands justice for his people.
BY NAVIN UPADHYAY
Widely recognized as the voice of the Kuki National Organisation—a coalition of Kuki insurgent groups engaged in a Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the Indian government—few know that Dr. Seilen Haokip is also a scholar. In 2001, he completed his doctoral research titled “Identity, Conflict, and Nationalism: The Naga and Kuki Peoples of Northeast India and Northwest Burma.”
This academic foundation makes him uniquely positioned to address the Meitei narrative that labels the Kukis as illegal settlers in Manipur—an accusation that has gained momentum since the ethnic clashes of May 3, 2023.
“Calling Us Illegal Settlers Is a Perversion of History”
Dr. Haokip chuckles when asked about the claim that the Kukis are outsiders. “It’s laughable. How naïve can one be? This is a manufactured narrative, created to justify land grabs and subjugation of tribals. It has no historical or logical foundation—only a perverse mindset could give rise to such an argument.”
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One of the recurring allegations against the Kukis is that nearly 1,500 of them crossed into Manipur in the 1960s after a military coup in Myanmar, gained Indian citizenship, and paved the way for illegal migration. Dismissing this as sheer ignorance, Dr. Haokip explains, “The Burmanization of Burma in the 1960s, particularly through the Khadawmi operation, led to the forced eviction of Kukis from their ancestral villages—Tuinom, Leijang, Phailen, Cheti, Mongmo, Humalin, Chanchakuh, Tamansah. At the time, Suisha Tangkhul was an MP from Outer Manipur, and the Government of India officially rehabilitated these refugees.”
After a brief pause, he adds, “These people were assimilated legally, under due process. To now call them and their descendants illegal settlers is not just historically inaccurate—it’s intellectual and moral bankruptcy.”
“The Borders May Divide Us, But History Unites Us”
Emphasizing the deep historical ties between Manipur and Burma, Dr. Haokip asserts, “The British arbitrarily divided our lands in 1935 under the Government of India Act, splitting the Kuki hills between British India and British Burma. Today, when India adopts a soft-border policy, it is merely acknowledging the natural, historical movement of our people across these lands.”
He also rebuts another claim frequently made by Meitei organizations like COCOMI—that Kuki-Zo population growth in districts like Churachandpur, Chandel, and Kangpokpi indicates illegal migration. “The increase in our population in these areas isn’t due to an influx of foreigners. It happened because of the NSCN-IM pogrom against the Kukis in the 1990s, which wiped out over 300 villages in Tamenglong and Ukhrul. Thousands of our people were forced to migrate to Churachandpur and Sadar Hills, but the total Kuki population in Manipur remained the same.”
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“The Government’s Own Data Proves the Lies”
In response to allegations of large-scale illegal immigration from Myanmar, Dr. Haokip cites the findings of a Cabinet Sub-Committee on Population Control, formed in March-April 2023. The committee, comprising Cabinet Ministers Letpao Haokip (Tribal Affairs), Awangbou Newmai (Water Resources), Basanta Singh (Education), Home Minister P. Ranjit, and the Director General of Manipur Police, found only 180 refugees—far from the 5,000 figure claimed by former Chief Minister Biren Singh and COCOMI.
The official breakdown was:
- Moreh, Tengnoupal District (Haolenphai village) – 80 identified
- Chandel District (Gamphajol village) – 100+ identified
- Singhat, Churachandpur District – Zero identified
“Who Really Profits from the Drug Trade?”
Addressing the charge that the Kuki-Zo community is deeply involved in poppy cultivation and narco-terrorism, Dr. Haokip turns the question back on his critics. “I’d love for the Meitei leadership to first define ‘narco-terrorism’ and explain how it applies to Manipur. Who does it really apply to?”
Acknowledging that poppy cultivation does take place in the hills, he asks, “What choice do the people have? Ninety to ninety-five percent of development funds are siphoned off to the valley. The hill tribes are left with scraps—how do you expect them to survive? Successive state governments have pushed the hill people into poppy cultivation as a means of survival.”
Then, with a glint in his eyes, he adds, “But tell me—who actually processes the poppies? Who refines them into heroin? It’s the moneyed class in the valley. The entire supply chain involves every community, yet only the Kukis are branded as criminals. Why the selective defamation?”
“Without Justice, There Can Be No Peace”
Seilen Haokip reveals an old video showing a Kuki man with his hands tied, writhing on the ground as he is repeatedly assaulted. His attackers ignore his pleas for mercy and continue to beat him.
“This is an old video, but it shows how impossible it is for us to ever live under the same administration as the Meitei. I wish the Centre could truly understand our situation—if they could walk in our shoes, even indirectly, they would see the reality. But since they cannot experience our suffering firsthand, they expect us to simply ‘move on’ and accept ‘peace’ on Arambai Tenggol terms. If we refuse, we are painted as the ones responsible for breaking up Manipur.”
“They call us illegal, outsiders, intruders,” Haokip says. “But our roots run deep—older than the silent hills that have cradled our people for generations. We are not guests in our own land. We are its lifeblood, as essential as the rivers that carve through its valleys, as enduring as the mountains that stand unbowed against the winds of time.”
“We do not seek division out of hatred,” he continues. “We seek freedom because, without it, there is no future for us. You cannot expect a people to live in peace if they are constantly subjugated, exploited, and attacked. Injustice breeds unrest. If you want peace, start by treating us as equals.” His voice, firm and unyielding, cuts through the narrative of forced reconciliation, rejecting the idea that peace can be imposed through silence and submission.
“He reaffirms his call for a Union Territory for the Kuki-Zo people, recognizing that the journey ahead will be arduous and filled with obstacles. “We are prepared to walk this path, no matter the cost. They may slander us, they may try to silence us—but they cannot erase the truth. We are the children of these ancient hills,” he proclaims. “No falsehood, no act of violence can change that. We WERE the lifeblood of Manipur, yet now that we have been cast aside, we will forge our own destiny, our own sanctuary. Sometimes, letting go is not about surrender—it is about reclaiming the right to build a future on our own terms.”
