Covenant signed
Source: The Sangai Express
Ukhrul, January 18, 2011:
In a historic moment for the people of Muirei and Ngarumphung village in Ukhrul district the two villages entered here today into a 'covenant of peace'to mark peaceful settlement of the age-old land dispute between the two villages.
The event was hosted by Principal Secretary (Works) Ramnganing Muivah at Muirei village, 24 kms from Imphal along NH-150 in the presence of the three MLAs of Ukhrul district.
Speaking at the occasion, the principal secretary recalled how the two villages wasted their wealth in paying to numerous lawyers instead of investing in education of their children from whatever little they earned in fighting against each other.
By God�s grace some of the boys from the two villages were educated by Catholic priest and nuns in Sacred Heart School Hungdung, but many more children grew up without education as the parents were busy fighting for the case in the court, he said.
"Realising the futility of fighting I have initiated a negotiation some two years back by meeting elders of both the villages and managed to convince them to come to an amicable settlement which all of us can see today as the fruit of new approach of love and respect without any conditions," he maintained.
Affirming the covenant, chiefs of the two villages also recalled the sad story of conflict over ownership of land that has lasted for more than 44 years.