Arambai Tenggol Activities Labelled as Road Shows, Flag Waving by FOCS President

Following the reported assault on the vice president of Federation of Civil Society Organisations (FOCS) by the Arambai Tenggol, the president of FOCS Th Manihar has said that the activities of Arambai Tenggol is only a road show and waving the Salai Taret flag without knowing its significance.

The president of FOCS  made the statement while briefing the media persons at Imphal on Thursday. Condemning the assault on its vice president by the Arambai Tenggol, Th Manihar said such an act which is in response over a silly matter shows that AT do not have respect for elderly persons and such acts are against the interest of the State. The President of FOCS said that people of Manipur should strictly look into or monitor the activities of AT and see how much they have contributed in fighting the enemies.

Th Manihar also warned the AT that such action or behaviour should not be repeated. FOCS have told  the AT members to seek apology from Yaima but instead the Arambai Tenggol have ordered the FOCS team to visit AT office, he added.

FOCS president said that there is no way that FOCS members will agree to the order imposed by AT since they(AT) are a newly formed organisation. But FOCS and its vice president Yaima have been working for the welfare of the society for the past 30 years, he added.

People in the state should not believe that an organisation like Arambai Tenggol which does not value and recognise the works taken up by the elders or seniors will protect the State. Backed by some individuals, Arambai Tenggol is trying to disintegrate the state, the Meitei community and other indigenous communities, said Th Manihar.

If AT fails to tender an apology to FOCS before Friday, FOCS and its supporters will agitate in front of AT units and also boycott them. No ordinary member but their leader should tender an apology or else the apology will not be accepted, he added.

Th Manihar further said that FOCS is not an organisation that will succumb to the threats of Arambai Tenggol.

In response to FOCS’ allegations, the leader of AT, Korounganba Khuman released a video and clarified that the incident leading to the physical assault on Yaima occurred as a result of AT confronting a soil mafia operating in the Heibok Hills area. The AT leader said that the gang attacked AT when they went there to confront them over the matter and a fight erupted in the commotion. Yaima was also present in the incident spot but he did not identify himself as a vice president of FOCS.

Regarding FOCS’ call for a boycott of AT, Khuman said that such a measure would be ineffective since people are already aware of AT’s activities and that the boycott would not succeed.