40TH ANNIVERSARY OF KHADAWMI OPERATION

Thangjalun

40 years ago, a spate of heinous crime was unleashed on this day upon the innocent ethnic Kukis in their ancestral land by the then Military Government of Burma – Revolutionary Council – led by Newin’s. The span of 40 years may be a long period for all of us but the memory of this tragic episode will continue to remain in the hearts and minds of the Kukis forever. Since then, November 18 has been observed annually as a day to remember the victims and to consolidate the Kukis demand for justice. Kuki People called this day KUNONI which means driven-out day.

A total of about 50 Kuki villages with a population of more than 20,000 (twenty thousand) were uprooted in the operation. The villagers were charged with holding bogus national registration cards, which were issued by none other than the Burmese government. The authority dictated that no one took their belongings with them, except what they wore to cover their pathetic bodies. The wailing sounds of handicap, old weakling and cattle, left behind to face their fate, echoed the entire region. Parents and siblings, and near and dear ones were separated. The helplessness Kukis had to leave their ripened corns and paddy fields. The hard toil of a year’s sweats and tears were bruised, robbed and reaped unethically. The evicted villagers had to survive by collecting paddies during night times. In the deserted villages, ethnic Burman slums from big towns were brought in; they were distributed confiscated properties and resettled.

Turning a deaf ear to the several appeals and demands made by different Kuki bodies, the successive military governments – from Revolutionary Council (RC) to the present State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) – continues to marginalize the Kuki population by bringing more slum dwellers to the Kuki region. We appeal to all peace loving citizens of the world to condemn this horrendous action of Burmese military government, and calls upon the international communities to intervene for rehabilitation of the innocent Kuki people in their land because till today, justice has been denied to these victims.

While launching the operation of ‘Burmanization in 1967’ code named ‘Khadawmi Operation’ the entire villages of the Kuki communities in the region were served evacuation notices requiring them to leave their homesteads within 48 hours. They were told that they were permitted only to take along their movable belongings which they could carry at one go. They were however ordered not to make claims to their farm land and any property left behind thereafter.

This drive out was carried out against people who did not possess the Burmese National Identity Card which was introduced years earlier and the said card being issued arbitrarily to those who pay of huge bribes, which most of them could not afford. Thus, more than 20,000 Kukis fell the victim of this injustice.

KUKI STUDENTS DEMOCRATIC FRONT (KSDF) COMMEMORATE THE 40TH ANNNIVERSARY OF KHADAWMI OPERATION ON 18TH NOVEMBER 2007 AT ITS OFFICE IN NEW DELHI.