Mail News Service
Imphal, Dec 27 : The All Tribal Students’ Union, Manipur (ATSUM) is shocked at the Christmas gift presented by the Meitei community to the tribal community. Indeed, the tribal community has been greeted with such Christmas gifts on regular basis, thereby causing untold miseries to the tribal communities residing in Manipur. The ATSUM strongly condemned the Napet Chingol incident of 24th December, 2012 in which 13 tribal students were ruthlessly assaulted and tortured. To add salt to the injury a young girl was ruthlessly molested, outraging the modesty of an innocent tribal girl.
The ATSUM un-equivocalty condemned such inhuman conduct and prefers not to remain a silent spectator to such communa! agenda perpetrated by the Meitei community.
It alleged that the Meitei community indulged in mass rape of tribal women at Parbung in the past. And again, on December 11, 2011, Hatkholhing aged 42 was raped and murdered at Yaiphakol, Churachandpur, such incidents have been reported time and again. Why was the Meitei community silent when such shameful incidents occurred? Why were the Meitei community and the Government of Manipur, insensitive towards the sufferings of the tribal community? The atmosphere of insecurity created towards the tribal communities would compel the ATSUM to explore every possible course of action for political survival of the Tribal in Manipur.
The ATSUM also strongly condemned the stone pelting on Tribal Christians, desecration to their places of worship and harassment caused to Christmas shoppers by Meiteis.
Which is why their Christmas spirit was fully dampened. This is nothing but terrorising the Tribal communities, sowing the seed of religious intolerance among the various communities living in Manipur.
The ATSUM, at this critical juncture, gave a clarion call to the tribal community to stand united against the onslaught of the dominant community in Manipur. It is high time we shed our petty differences and strive for the unity and integrity of the tribal community. The ATSUM would spare no effort to safeguard the dignity and birth rights of the tribal in Manipur said Muan Tombing, President, ATSUM.
The Tangkhul Shanao Long Delhi (TSLD) or Tangkhul women union (Delhi unit), said it is extremely shocked to learn the molestation and attempt to rape of a 15 years old tribal girl at Napetpali in the outskirt of Imphal by three cadres of KCP, an underground group.
“The KCP group even took away the mobile phones and cash and other belongings. Ironically the incident took place on the general strike called by the valley based civil organizations to press the demand for the arrest of Mr. Living Stone who allegedly assaulted Momoco, a Manipuri film actress on December 18. TSLD strongly condemn the inhuman act and demand immediate action be taken against the perpetrators and a speedy trial and severe punishment be given to them,” said the Delhi based Tangkhul women union.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/atsum-not-happy-with-meiteis-christmas-gift/
