DIBRUGARH, Sept 19 - In solidarity with the rest of their Kuki brethren all over the globe, the Kuki community of Dibrugarh city also observed September 13 as �The Kuki Black Day� or what they called it �Sahnit Ni�, a release said.
The day was observed as a day of mourning and prayer for all the departed souls of those Kukis who were gruesomely slaughtered by the cadres of NSCN (I-M) way back in 1993. The infamous incident is also known as �Zoupi Massacre� as the ghastly incident took place at Zoupi village. It was on this day, 24 years back, about more than 100 defenceless innocent villagers of Zoupi, Gelnel and Janglenphai villages were horrifically hacked to death by the NSCN (I-M) militants. In the process of this ruthless NSCN (I-M) ethnic cleansing campaign, more than a thousand Kukis were killed and more than 360 villages were destroyed, and about 100,000 of Kukis were rendered homeless, the release added.
In strict adherence to the formal appeal of the Dibrugarh Kuki Worship Service and the Dibrugarh Kuki Students Organisation (KSO), all Kuki ethnic families of upper Assam observed the day with mourning and prayers. Dr L Doungel, chairman of the KWS (Dibrugarh) and advisor of the KSO (Dibrugarh) when contacted told this correspondent that �though the day is observed at the backdrop of horrific incident, it is not to perpetuate hatred and hostility between the Kukis and the Nagas. It is observed seeking justice against the heinous crime of genocide committed on the innocent Kukis and those villagers who were misplaced and rendered homeless and more importantly to spread the message of love and peaceful coexistence.� He also said with a little disappointment that the Government seems to have feigned ignorance of this crime perpetrated against humanity by NSCN (I-M) even after repeated reminders sent to the Government of India by the Kuki Inpi, the apex body of the Kukis for early dispensation of justice.
