ATSUM, TSA, KSO-C on 'mob justice', media coverage
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Kangpokpi/Imphal/Lamka, May 20 2015 : All Tribal Students' Union Manipur (ATSUM) has strongly condemned the act of indulging in mob justice by bandh supporters in the alleged killing of Semkhongam Haokip, physical assault on others and burning down of vehicles on May 14 .

The union said it also supports Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO) General Headquarters' ban on an Imphal based daily newspaper and a cable news network over alleged partiality in reporting on the incidents.

ATSUM Rights and Reservation Secretary Simthar Jajo said that Haorang Kairel killing incident on May 14 was supposedly "an act of retaliation of Thingsat killing, where two alleged KCP (Nando) faction had been killed by KRF" .

He said that the Government has done well enough to book the alleged culprits involved in Thingsat killing which also marked the swiftest action on the part of Government in booking wrongdoers in the State.

All these incidents happened before the "ugly incident of Haorang Kairel killing" .

"There is no point of killing innocent Shaktiman driver Semkhongam Haokip and assaulting other three innocent workers - Nehminthang Haokip, Lunminhao Haokip and Thangminlun Khongsai" after the Government had done a great job to book the accused persons as demanded by the agitators, said Simthar Jajo.

He also alleged that the Haorang Kairel incident was "purportedly executed" to create a "war like situation" in the State.

ATSUM also asked, "Why only one particular community's vehicle was targeted on that particular day while many other vehicles too were also seen plying along the road"? Meanwhile, ATSUM expressed dismay over the State Government's delay in booking the culprits responsible for the killing of one man while it was swift to book those responsible for the Thingsat killing.

While strongly denouncing the role of the media particularly by those two which had been banned KSO GHQ, ATSUM said everyone was a witness to the "unbalanced reporting" on the incidents.

Simthar Jajo said the media should know that "unethical journalism" could ruin the age old social relationship between communities in the state.

While urging the two media houses to rectify "their error and come up with constructive approach" to solve the impasse amicably in the interest of peace and harmony, ATSUM also appealed the State Government for equivalent handling of the cases and initiate special attention.

TSA: Thadou Students' Association, General Headquarters has said it vehemently condemns the murder of M Dayananda and M Premananda and the physical assault on a minor boy at Thingsat village under Saikul in Senapati district on May 10 .

A TSA release also condemned the killing of one innocent person from the Thadou community�Semkhongam Haokip, a truck driver, and the brutal attack on two people by a mob in Patsoi area in Imphal West and torching of their vehicles.

It said it believed that it was a 'revenge attack' over the killing of the two labourers by KRF.

It said it is regrettable that public reaction to the Thingsat killing had blown out of proportion with "our brothers and sisters in the valley taking the law into their own hands" .

TSA expressed discontent over the alleged failure of the State Government to book all people responsible for the killing and assaulting of the innocent Thadou people in Patsoi area.

The State Government must own up responsibility for the failure of KRF to comply with the ground rules of the suspension of operation (SoO) agreement, it asserted.

It urged the Government that it should deal with SoO groups with sincerity and seriousness by initiating political talks to address the issues relating to the 'legitimate demand' for granting of autonomous status.

KSO CC Pur: Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO) Churachandpur has expressed gratitude to those who have extended support to the ban imposed by KSO General Headquarters on an Imphal based local daily and a private news channel for their alleged "bias attitude" toward the people.

The KSO in a statement said it also supports the Tollen Youth Club's act of "burning" of the newspaper and warned all "not to entertain the circulation of this daily till the ban on it is called off." KSO will "deploy volunteers to see that the ban is fully enforced within the district" .

The student body said the Government should never try to undermine the interests of any ethnic group for political gains. The association demanded that the Government treat equally to the victims of both Thingsat and Patsoi incidents.

Equal amount of compensation should be given to the families of the victims, it demanded.

An appropriate high level enquiry should be immediately ordered into the death of Semkhongam Haokip and the brutal assault on other two persons.

It further demanded that adequate financial assistance be given to rebuild the church at Patsoi that had been burned down during the protest.

TSA also demanded that the 6th Schedule of the Constitution be implemented in all the hill areas of Manipur to ensure a permanent solution to the plight of the tribal people.

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