IMPHAL, May 16: The Kuki Students Organisation, Tengnoupal block has appeal people of Kakching area and Kakching MLA Y Surchandra call back Khoibu villagers who have left Khasim village in the aftermath of a public rally held at Kakching-Pallel Lamkhai recently denouncing Th Muivah’s visit to the state.

A spokesperson of the KSO, Tengnoupal block said harassment metted out to Khoibu community of Khangsim village by some people belonging to the majority local community of Kakching has disrupted
normal life in the area.
During a press meet held today at Chandel, president of the KSO Tengnoupal Block, Thangboi Lhungdim, general secretary KSO Tengnoupal block, Daniel Mate and advisor KSO Hollal Zou appeal for bringing peace among different communities residing in the area.

The KSO leaders said the immediate cause for the trouble was a protest held last week against the harassment metted out to Khoibu villagers whose goods were taken away, which was broken up by local community members of Kakching who came along with Kakching MLA Surchandra personally to break up the protest. A signboard which marked the area as ‘Khangsim village, Chandel district’ where the Khoibu tribe are settled was smashed, as the MLA and his accomplices gave the explanation that the area was under Thoubal district and the signboard wrongly marked the area to be under the Chandel district.

The protest was staged after the Khoibu tribals, who were on their way back from the local market, were stopped by some locals who took away the goods being carried by the tribals. The locals also did not refund the goods belonging to the Khoibu tribals of Khangsim village.

The local people of the area along with the MLA told the Khoibus that since they were Nagas they should leave the area and go to Nagaland. The threat from the locals has caused the Khoibus to leave their residences and now they are taking shelter at Tengnoupal Primary Health Centre and Khoibu Centre.

The KSO president Lhungdim said it was very unfortunate that right after a meeting with all communities’ leaders, including those from the United Committee Manipur last week, the problem had arisen involving an MLA.

This was strongly condemned by the KSO as the matter was right opposite of what the meeting had resolved, which was to work for communal harmony and peace.

The KSO has appealed that the local MLA lead the local people in requesting the Khoibu tribals to come back to their homes in Khangsim village so that the problem could be solved amicably. The KSO said that the present problem was not a communal issue, but a political one. Since the matter was a political one communal tension should not be spread in the name of the problem, he said.

The KSO also suggested that since the matter was a political issue pressure should be put on the government to solve the matter. It also said that any step taken by the various communities to solve the problem would be supported by the KSO.

The KSO also asked the government to provide relief to those villagers who had left their homes and were taking refuge elsewhere.

In the meantime, the KSO Tengnoupal block and the 29 Assam Rifles were taking care to the refugees at the relief camps, the KSO said.

~ Imphal Free Press