Sit-in protests renaming Mangkang as Haolenphai
Source: Chronicle News Service
Kakching, May 25 2022:
Local residents of Mangkang village on Wednesday staged a sit-in protest at Komlathabi village against the renaming of Mangkang village located near Moreh town as Haolenphai village and government tagging Haolenphai in development works.
Mangkang village chief N Laban Moyon told media persons that Mangkang is a Moyon village located near Moreh in Tengnoupal district.
The boundary of the village extends up to border pillar number 74, 75 & 76 in the East, Phephak Chingtek in the West, Lokchao River in the North and Ngousi Lok in the South.
Drangbung Minou of Anal community was a neighbouring village.
Mangkang village was recognised by the government in the gazette notification dated February 5, 1962 and the residents used to pay hill house tax to the state government under Manipur Hill Areas (House Tax) Act (Manipur Act 9 of 1966) and received benefits of different government schemes.
However, in the Naga-Kuki communal clash of 1990s, the residents of the small village had to flee their homes in 1992 and took refuge at Kapaam (Komlathabi) village in Chandel district where they have been staying for the last 30 years.
Taking advantage of the situation, Haolenphai residents occupied the village and tried to claim ownership by renaming into Haolenphai village.
One Jamkholun Haokip is making a baseless claim of buying the village from former Mangkang village chief late N Mongshing Moyon by paying Rs 94,000, he said, while questioning if they can produce relevant documents of the purchase and renaming of the village as Haolenphai.
The government has also been using Haolenphai in its projects like Smart City, police station and International Cancer Hospital in the latest, which is very unfortunate, he said.
Stating that the villagers have no objection to taking up developmental projects in the area, he appealed to the chief minister to look into the matter and deliver justice to Mangkang residents.
On the other hand, Mangkang residents are living a life of uncertainty at Komlathabi village as they have nowhere to turn to if the village authority asks them to leave, he said, while urging the government to repatriate them.
Bujuur Aanchung Puh (Moyon Naga Council), an apex body of Moyon tribe and Mangkang Village Authority also submitted memorandums in this regard to the chief minister and the union minister of Steel and Rural Development.