Attack on Liangmai woman part of aggression: COCOMI
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, January 09 2025: Coordination Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has strongly condemned the assault and manhandling of a Liangmai woman on Tuesday, in Konsakhul by tenant settlers from the Chin-Kuki community while she was working on her land.

COCOMI described the attack as a shocking act of aggression, highlighting it as a manifestation of land encroachment and exploitation.

In a statement, COCOMI said that Konsakhul, also known as Konsaram, is one of the oldest Liangmai villages with immense historical significance, adding that the establishment of Leilon Vaiphei village, with the consent of the Konsakhul village chief, marked the beginning of settlements by the Chin-Kuki in the area.

"Over the years, tenant settlers have surrounded Konsakhul, attempting to assert dominance over the indigenous village," pointed out COCOMI and cited the popular Manipuri proverb, "Yongna Loupu Tanlakpa" (Owner of the paddy farm driven away by invading monkeys), to describe the growing threat posed by these settlers.

Expressing concern over the systematic encroachment and occupation of indigenous lands by immigrant groups and unaccounted refugees over the past decades, CO-COMI highlighted that tenant settlers, predominantly from the Chin-Kuki communities, have been forcefully occupying and exploiting forest resources without the consent of rightfol village authorities.

"However, the lack of clarity in administrative records regarding the status of hill villages seems to have further emboldened these settlers, enabling them to justify illegal occupations," the Committee noted.

According to COCOMI, the assault on the Liangmai woman is part of a larger pattern of territorial aggression and refusal to respect original agreements.

While exhorting the Konsakhul village authority to remain steadfast in exposing and addressing these encroachments, COCOMI appealed to the state administration to take immediate action to resolve the issue in accordance with historical records and facts.

COCOMI further called upon all indigenous communities in Manipur to exercise vigilance in dealing with settlement requests from new groups, emphasising the collective responsibility to protect lands, identities, and resources, while also reaffirming its commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of indigenous people.

Comment