The Zomi Students Federation has denied the allegations made by medical students belonging to the Meitei community of Churachandpur Medical College that some armed men stole their mobile phones at the onset of the tribal movement in Churachandpur.
In response to the claims of the students in a recent press conference held at Imphal, ZSF in a release on Wednesday stated that allegations made by the students are simply false, misleading, unfounded and unsubstantiated claims.
The release stated that such allegations are in line with the general policy of denigrating the reputation of tribal people, which has become a daily trend; the policy of labelling tribal people as militants, terrorists, illegal immigrants, poppy cultivators, and the like.
ZSF assumes that the medical students may have made such claims out of pressure, and while pleading that young, innocent students will be spared from such efforts.
ZSF also mentioned that the people of Lamka made every effort to ensure the safety of all students from outside the town. ZSF while working in hand with Senapati District Students Association even organised transportation to safely return the stranded students to their respective hometowns, it added
ZSF is glad that the medical students in Lamka reached their homes safely and it continue to pray for the lost souls of hundreds of tribals in the valley districts who never had the opportunity to enjoy the same, the statement added.
The release further states that the desire to be in a ‘safer place’ is one that people in the valley and in the hill have in common.
The student body also expressed confidence that the idea of a safe place with a “Total Separate Administration” from the state of Manipur will be realized under the Indian Constitution, where we can all live with a sense of security as neighbours.
The Hills Journal
K. Salbung, Churachandpur
Manipur-795128
