Guwahati: According to a report by The Hindu, the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) in Assam has decided to send back over 1,000 Kuki-Zo individuals who had fled to the district from violence-hit Manipur.
Tuliram Ronghang, Chief Executive Member of the KAAC, stated that the district lacks the capacity to accommodate the recent arrivals, who sought refuge following ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities in Manipur in May 2023.
“More than 1,000 Kukis from about 500 families have arrived in the district. I have called a meeting with the Karbi Students’ Union and Kuki village chiefs on Thursday (November 28, 2024) to discuss the matter and ensure the migrants receive a proper send-off,” Mr. Ronghang said during an event.
While acknowledging that the Kukis are a tribal community, he emphasized, “They cannot settle here in Karbi Anglong.” Mr. Ronghang, who leads the Bharatiya Janata Party government in the KAAC, reiterated that the district has limited space for new settlers.
The Karbi community, the largest ethnic group in Karbi Anglong, predominantly inhabits the district, which also has a few Kuki settlements, particularly in the Singhasan Hills region.
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