Govt ignoring Mongbung Meetei village: COCOMI
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, July 16 2024: Mongbung Meetei village of Jiribam district located adjacent to two Kuki villages, which has become the latest centre of attention in the current conflict in the state following persistent armed attacks by Kuki militants, has been left unprotected by the government, said COCOMI assistant coordinator Joychandra Konthoujam.

Speaking to the media in connection with a visit to the outlying Meetei village on Tuesday, during which the COCOMI team interacted with the villagers and provided assistance, Joychandra experessed that Mongbung Meetei village has become the latest ground of the armed conflict with persistent armed attacks by Kuki militants using guns and explosive materials.

Mongbung is a small Meetei village located between a Hmar village and a Kuki village.

It has 52 households with a population of around 400 only.

Without any additional security protection, villagers with only four license guns, eight VDF personnel and a police constable are standing guard today.

A village youth told the COCOMI team that the VDF personnel are issued minimal ammunition, and they often refrain from firing even when facing armed attack, just to save the ammunition.

Despite facing the threat, the village youth are firm on their ground saying that this is their home and they cannot simply leave the village and their properties at the hands of the Kuki militants.

So far, nobody has visited the village to offer help, the village youth said while thanking the COCOMI team.

The residents, taking advantage of the COCOMI team's visit, drew attention of the government for deploying adequate security.

Stating that they are not getting proper security protection, the residents enquired if Mongbung is not a part of Manipur.

They also said that they would have no choice but to form village defence team if the government does not deploy adequate number of security personnel in the village, Joychandra informed.

He also urged political leaders in Jiribam to refrain from politicising the crisis but to serve the people with sincerity.

He called upon the indigenous people of the state, and Jiribam district in particular to take a united stand against the illegal immigrants causing trouble in the district and the state.

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