NSCN (IM) points finger at Chassad villagers
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 18 2020: Alleging that the burning down of Chassad village on March 16 could have been avoided had the people of Chassad village not burnt the jhum fields blaming Kamjong villagers, the NSCN (IM) today asserted that had they exercised restraint and sanity, nothing could have provoke the people of Kamjong village.

In a statement, NSCN (IM) said that the Chassad villagers instead chose to stoke anger by going on the offensive against the people of Sampui and Kamjong villages by organizing a road block between Kamjong and Ukhrul and in the process burned down one shaktiman truck and newly constructed petrol pump.

Going further, the Chassad village authority sounded the alarm bell calling their people to be prepared for offensive against the people of Kamjong, alleged the outfit.

The Chassad villagers were fully briefed by their authority to prepare for a showdown and raised a war cry using all abusive and provocative slogans and started pelting stones towards the people of Kamjong passing by the road.

Two bystanders were seriously injured.

Under this provocative circumstances, the situation went out of control, alleged the outfit.

It is pertinent to mention that bad blood has been brewing between Sampui village and Chassad village because of the false claim of land ownership by the Chassad village chief but bereft of historical and legal support, said NSCN (IM) .

Sampui village authority had time and again warned Chassad village authority not to provoke them by claiming the land that never belongs to them but to accept the historical reality that they were allowed to set up their settlement on humanitarian ground.

But, much to the indignation of Sampui village authority, the Chassad village chief published a statement in the local papers that the stretch of land spanning from Khoika village to Chassad village has been under the custodianship of the Chassad village since time immemorial.

It is, however, understood that Chassad village chief is made to go for this false claim under pressure from some armed groups.

There is ample documentary evidences of the refugee status of the people settled in Khoika village and Chassad village.

In the case of Khoika village they were settled on Sampui land like the Chassad village but with due permission from Sampui village since 1930-1931, the villagers have no issue with land owner as they faithfully have been paying Lousan tax to the Sampui Headman for their jhum cultivation alleged the outfit further.

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