All Inpui Students’ Union, Liangmai Naga Katimai Ruangdi, Rongmei Naga Student’s Organisation Manipur and Zeme Student’s Organization Manipur claimed that Khedagar Khasia Village is under the administrative boundary of Tousem Sub-Division, Tamenglong District, Manipur for ages.
TFM Desk
A joint tribe students’ body on Friday condemned “the unruly interference and uncivilized act” of Jiribam District Organization (JDO), Jiribam against the minority Khedagar Khasia and Rongmei communities of Tamenglong district on January 6, 2021. “All claims made on Khedagar Village and allegations against DC Tamenglong by JDO are false, unfounded and baseless,” it said.
A press release jointly issued by All Inpui Students’ Union (AISU), Liangmai Naga Katimai Ruangdi(LNKR) Rongmei Naga Student’s Organisation Manipur(RNSOM) and Zeme Student’s Organization Manipur(ZSOM) claimed that Khedagar Khasia Village is under the administrative boundary of Tousem Sub-Division, Tamenglong District, Manipur for ages.
“The Jiribam, which even after travelling for more than 200 km from Imphal jumping bypassing Imphal West, Senapati, Tamenglong and Churachandpur districts land boundaries was under the administration of Imphal East- a mystery prior to naming it as a district, is known by all men as the flat part of the land, also known as Valley part, not hill nor foothill,” it said
“There are clear proof and evidence of several villages under Jiribam Valley where hill house taxes are paid to Tamenglong District which is now been diluted by the major community of Jiribam,” claimed the release signed by RNSOM general secretary Jianthui Panmei, LNKR general secretary Masanbou Thiumai, AISU general secretary Muliang Riamroi and ZSOM general secretary Iliuchang.
The release further said that the government is clear with their stands and records that the Tamenglong District territorial boundary has been encroached by some groups and individuals from major community.
The joint students’ body urged the District Administration Tamenglong and local MLA Tamei-Tousem to speak up while District Administration Jiribam and public should stop unfounded and false claim of its territory, “The jurisdiction is clear to all men, hill is hill and valley is valley. Hills and foothills can never be a valley, nor can valley never be hill except when there is a geological change,” it said.
The law of the land should be adhered to by all individuals and organizations, it added.
The joint body also said In the videos circulated on several social media, JDO along with some Bangali speaking volunteers are seen using stick, lathis, verbally and physically threatening and abusing the chairman of Khedagar Khasia village and few Rongmei community locals at the spot.
“Further, the chairman of the Khedagar Khasia village is also seen threatened to give false statement by JDO in the circulated video. The minor communities are intimidated by the majority community wrongly,” it added.
It alleged that Sub Deputy Collector Jiribam also forced Chairman-Khedagar Khasia Village Authority to sign on blank paper which is so unbecoming from an educated government servant. On several occasions Khedagar Khasia was also threatened by the encroacher from Jiribam causing him and villagers mentally disturb and stressed which is why justice is sought for from the government, it added.
Stating that several representations had been submitted to the state government to address the people grievances by different civil organisations, so far not positive response from government is received, the organisation said it would not keep silent and watch over the encroachment of its land and right by anyone.
The organisation take seriously over the intimidation to the village head of Khedagar Khasia village recently, under Tousem Sub-Division, Tamenglong district by Jiribam Development Organisation(JDO) and police personal of Jiribam district, it said.
The organisation solicited the district administration Tamenglong and State government to book the JDO and volunteers involved as per the law of the land for subjugation of tribal communities and vice versa to prevent from further escalating the issue at the earliest, it added.
Further, the organisation said it had also come to learn of such incident that happened a few years back and escalating tension between the two district communities. The district administration Jiribam is accused of its involvements and had been issuing fake land right document to people of Jiribam district making flooded over Tousem sub- division, which is not acceptable at all.
The concocted and forceful claimed over Tousem Sub-Division again and again by some communal conscious individuals is to be viewed seriously by the state government and take stringent action at earliest to avoid any kind of untoward communal conflicts so that the people of the state live in harmony and peaceful co-existence, it said.
The joint students’ body appealed to different communities of the state not to create unnecessary and unfounded claims over land and resources against the wish of the rightful owner and locals which could lead to dissension and breach the peaceful co-existence.