It is indeed unfortunate on the part of the state government for its inability to bring forth an amicable solution on the present Mt Koubru impasse by maintaining the status quo before it is too late to mend, the student body said.
TFM Desk
All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM) while appealing to all the ethnic communities of Manipur to refrain from using provocative statements having the potential to spark off communal conflagration in connection with the controversy surrounding Mt Koubru, opined that the best option to root out the mudslinging and impasse over the sacred mountain is “to maintain the status quo” as it was in ancient times.
In its press communique, ATSUM Information and Publicity secretary Khaiminlen Doungel stated that the silence of ATSUM over Mt Koubru issue should not be construed as complicit, for the union considered it wrong to jump into the bandwagon sans analysis. Objectively, ATSUM wants sanity to prevail and if the mudslinging and impasse are to be rooted out, the best option is to maintain the status quo as it was in ancient times.
The release also stated, it is true that Mt. Koubru has been an important pilgrimage site and equally a sacred site for various communities as prayers, religious congregations, fasting and other rituals are done at the summit. Besides, it is also an important site for adventure lovers and revellers, hence, “status quo” should be maintained by one and all.
It is indeed unfortunate on the part of the state government for its inability to bring forth an amicable solution on the present Mt Koubru impasse by maintaining the status quo before it is too late to mend, it added.
The attempt to paint communal colour by various individuals and organisations and it’s appendages with provocative statements is condemnable because in spite of the fact that clarifications after clarifications were issued by the tribal CSOs that “no restrictions were imposed on pilgrims”, some people simply refused to listen to the voice of sanity, it said.
The release further stated that there are organisations going overboard and for that matter, pandemonium and chaotic situations have arisen, sowing seeds of hatred amongst various ethnic communities of the state.
ATSUM appealed to all the ethnic communities of the state to maintain maximum restraint in words and utterances for the state is going through a precarious situation that may evolve a negative impact on the hard earned peace and peace loving societies of Manipur.
Meanwhile, the union also stated that the recent outbreak of lawlessness in the form of arsoning of dwelling houses and firing at Sandang Senba Maring village right on the nose of the so called peace keepers or the law enforcing agency is unfortunate and a mockery to the present government.
It stated that the fact finding committee constituted by the state government to solve the land dispute need to be expedited while adding that land is sacred to every community, big or small and thus the inalienable rights over the land cannot be simply given when coerced by a bigger community.
ATSUM considers it as pertinent that central security forces stationed at Sandang Senba Maring village since March 29 to avert confrontation between the two villages over land dispute should not be withdrawn until and unless an amicable solution is arrived, it added.