SHILLONG, April 4: The Shillong Manipuri Students’ Union has rubbished reports about a dispute over land between the Khasi and Manipuri people living in Jiribam district of Manipur, even as it claimed that it has examined the veracity of the video uploaded on social media and declared that no such incident took place.
In a statement issued here, the union said it has “examined the video and found that there was no such report or incident that took place where Khasis were ill-treated and threatened over land dispute issues.”
It condemned the “wrongful circulation” of news on social media by mentioning communities.
In an attempt to give clarity to the case, the student union said that the actual incident took place on April 2 between some Meitei and Rongmai tribes of Manipur in Jiribam district and Tousem Sub Division of Tamenglong district of Manipur over some land (Khedager Gaidunlulong village) dispute issues in the presence of Manipur Jiribam police.
“The incident was nothing related to or involving any Khasi people of Meghalaya living in Manipur and there is no such report of chasing/threatening or ban on cultivating, populated by Khasi areas in Manipur by any communities,” it said.
The union recalled that last year, under the initiative of North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) with support from All Manipur Students’ Union (AMSU), the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) Shillong visited the areas inhabited by Khasi people in Manipur and even met the Chief Minister of Manipur N Biren Singh. The CM, it said, had assured to ensure peace.
The union has appealed for peace in Meghalaya urging both the communities to remain calm.
It also urged the Manipur government to look into the matter and resolve it at the earliest.
