Joupi massacre on September 13, 1993 was one of the “unspeakable horrors in which 88 innocent Kukis were slaughtered….The unbridled brutality in the Joupi massacre was one of primordial savagery never witnessed or heard before”, said KIM.
TFM Kangpokpi Representative.
In connection with the 28th Sahnit Ni, the Kuki Black Day, the Kangpokpi Youth Union under the aegis of the Kangpokpi Town Committee organized a candlelight service on Tuesday evening at Kangpokpi Town.
The candlelight service was held to pay tribute to the departed souls at Rotary Club Waiting Shed near Brig M Thomas Ground, Kangpokpi alongside National Highway 2.
Survivors, victims’ families, and relatives apart from KTC members led by its vice chairman Helmang Hangshing and KWWO leaders led by its president Hekim Hangshing also took part in the solemn event.
KYU President Haolet Khongsai led the ceremony while Pastor J. Lunkim, KCC performed the condolence service and invoked blessing prayer for the victim’s families, and the Kuki community as a whole.
Pastor J. Lunkim while stressing the historical background and the significance of ‘Sahnit Ni’ the Kuki ‘Black Day’ observation said that until the last ritual of all the innocent Kuki victims killed in the clash with NSCN (I-M) has been performed traditionally and only after the Government of India delivered justice upon them, the Black Day observation will continue.
He continued that the observance is not against anyone but to commemorate and mourn the victims and also to pressure the government in taking specific measures to deliver justice to all the victims while adding that we are not mobilizing to generate hatred in our minds, but to seek justice for the departed souls.
“Stay at peace as children of God and you are never denied justice”, the Pastor asserted while encouraging the congregation to maintain peace and pray for the departed souls.
Meanwhile, the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) in a statement stated that September 13 – Sahnit Ni (Kuki Black Day) is not just a symbolic date for the Kukis, it is a distinctly important date, and it is the darkest date in “our history”. It is the date the Kukis around the globe paused to remember and reflect on the horrors of September 13, 1993. KIM alleged that “the mass killing of Kukis by the NSCN (I-M) and their collaborators in the infamous Kuki Genocide of 1992-1997, is arguably one of the bloodiest genocide in the history of modern India”.
KIM further stated that “September 13, 2022, marks the 29th Anniversary of the deplorable massacre of our innocent people in Manipur at the hands of the NSCN (I-M) and their proxy – the Naga Lim Guards”.
“Equally deplorable is that due to the apathetic attitude of the concerned authorities –State and the Central Government, justice is still elusive till date, for all the victims of the ethnic cleansing campaign, whose only crime was that they were Kukis”, KIM stated while adding that indifference to evil is worse than evil itself.
Joupi massacre on 13 September 1993 was one of “unspeakable horror in which 88 innocent Kukis were slaughtered”….The unbridled brutality in the Joupi massacre was one of primordial savagery never witnessed or heard before. Another 20 innocent Kukis were also obliterated on that fateful day of September 13, 1993 – 13 villagers from Gelnal (Senapati District, now Kangpokpi District), 4 from Santing (Senapati District now Kangpokpi District) and 3 from Nungthut (Tamenglong) bringing the day’s total head count to 108”, said KIM.
“The Central and the State Governments then were equally culpable, for their utter failure to protect the lives and the security of the Kukis. The failure on the part of successive Central and State governments hitherto, to deliver justice to the victims makes them equally responsible for the same”, KIM further stated.