Khoibu bodies claim May 24 deal signed under duress
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, June 01 2022: Uipo (Khoibu) Maruo Kukartuo (UMK), Uipo Napui Inlam (UNI), Uipo Pawrwaa Koutun (UPK) and all Khoibu people have appealed to general public and government to understand the core issue of the violent incident that happened on May 24 at Khoibu village under Machi block of Tengnoupal district over land boundary between Khoibu village and Lairam Phungka villagers of Kamjong district.

According to a joint statement of UMK, UNI and UPK, a survey for Shangsak to Tengnoupal road expansion was conducted on May 16 as per a notice issued by DC Tengnoupal.

In accordance to the government directive, Khoibu tribe chieftain Thomas Charang Amaa and his team accompanied the government team led by SDO/BOD Machi and Tengnoupal and officials of PWD department.

Thomas and his team accompanied geo-tag government officials to show the land demarcation of the border between Kamjong and Tengnoupal districts being the bordering land within Tengnoupal district belongs to Khaibu ancestral land.

Geo-tag was taken by the government team from the point where Khoibu land starts as per documents available with Khoibu chief.

However, from May 17 onwards Lairam Phungka village chief and villagers started threatening Thomas Charang Amaa over the phone and sending summon letters to withdraw the geo-tag taken by the government for not informing them of the geo-tagging claiming the geo-tag point is under Kamjong district.

A team of about 40 people (all male) from Lairam Phungka village led by headman/chief Sp Simon came to Khoibu village on May 24 to discuss the matter.

During the meeting, Lairam Phungka claimed that the small portion of Khoibu land at the border was purchased by them which Thomas Charang Amaa, the land custodian of Khoibu ancestral, was unaware of the sale.

Thomas Charang Amaa requested the Lairam Phungka team to show the document of purchase.

On asking them to show the document, the team of Lairam Phungka became furious and started vandalizing Thomas Amaa's house and properties where the meeting was held but Thomas managed to escape.

During the violent acts, the headman of Lairam Phungka brought out a pre-drafted paper on the letter head of Lairam Phungka village and kept searching for Thomas to extract signature on the pre-drafted document.

While members of the team were pelting stones at the meeting place, three members of the Khoibu village were made to sign on the document forcefully, the joint statement said and declared the signed paper as null and void.

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