Villagers declare to keep separate administration
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 22 2022:
Villagers of Ichum Keirap Kom village who have been allegedly tried to be expelled from the village by the village authority have declared that they have decided to keep a separate administration from today onwards.
Addressing a press meet held today at Konung Mamang, T Solen, one of the villagers alleged that some members of Ichum Keirap Kom Village Authority have been carving plans to expel around 60 households from the village since the last few years.
He claimed that around 10 households only had resided in Ichum Keirap Kom before 11 households from Mongkotjang Village of Tamenglong District came and settled in the village in 1962 with the permission of the then village chairman.
Further claiming that more than 30 villagers who fled from Monkotjang, Songphel and Titah villages of Tamenglong district in the Kuki-Naga riot were also allowed to settle in a portion of the land adjoining to Ichum Keirap in 1993 and formed as one village (Ichum Keirap Kom), the villagers maintained that they were given consent to settle in the village by the then Chairman and then Governor VK Nair.
Solen added that the portion of the land which the villagers from Monkotjang, Songphel and Titah villages settled since 1993 were initially occupied by the Kabui community and known as Tamta Kabui before the later community left it.
Asserting that the previous settlers and the new settlers in the village had been residing harmoniously for decades, Solen alleged that the harmonious existence has been disrupted after the incumbent village authority came to power and allegedly hatched plans to expel around 60 households from the village.
He added that the decision to keep separate administration in the village was taken since the village authority failed to provide clarification regarding the expulsion.