Chakanlong (Charoichakanlong) Peidai clarifies on burning houses
Source: The Sangai Express
Tamenglong, March 01 2023:
The office of the Chakanlong Peidai (General Customary Court), Charoichakanlong village has clarified that the news item published in local newspapers on February 13 alleging the villagers of Chakanlong (Charoichakanlong) burning down 3 houses of Bitiang Hanthingzeitiang which is within the jurisdiction of Chakanlong village as baseless and unfounded.
A rejoinder signed by Agui Kamei, secretary Peidai and Gongdimlung Kamson, chairman Peidai, informed that the Peidai, Village Authority and villagers of Chakanlong were neither aware nor involved in the burning of the said 3 houses at Hanthingzeitiang on February 9, 2023 as alleged by Kanamsinpou Malangmei, chairman Bitiang (Laphok) village.
"He also mentioned that a piece of land was purchased at Chakanlong by the Laphok villagers in the year 1973, and a hamlet of Bitiang was living there.
It is a bolt from the blue that not an inch of land of Chakanlong village was sold to anybody or individual.
How he claims that a piece of land from Chakanlong was purchased by Bitiang Village is totally a concocted story", it added.
The Peidai claimed that the Bitiang (Laphok) villagers were displaced in 1973 after a land dispute and were later allowed/permitted to settle temporarily at Hanthingzeitiang within the jurisdiction of Chakanlong village on humanitarian grounds.
"Chakanlong Village Peidai and the villagers in 2020 had informed those temporary settlement of the displaced Bitiang villagers to come and live with the rest of the villagers at different hamlets of Chakanlong i.e.Phoibuti, Taokomjang II, Tupul III, and Namduanjang IV", it added.
"Accordingly, 3 houses of displaced Bitiang villagers who had been living at temporary settlement in Hanthingzeitiang Chakanlong had already come and settled at Phoibut Chakanlong- I with the rest of the villagers.
Again in 2022, the remaining 4 houses were invited to Peidai and informed them to come and live with the rest of villagers in any of the Chakanlong village hamlets according to their choice and predilection", it added.
The Peidai also claimed that the displaced villagers of Bitiang came and appended their signature of compliance to the request of Chakanlong villagers.
Chakanlong Peidai further appealed to the public and authorities concerned to not entertain such unfounded and baseless allegations against the people of Chakanlong by any individual(s) trying to malign the reputation of innocent Chakanlong villagers.