KSO Jiribam condemns Meiteis' high-handedness in harassing medical emergency attendants

The Kuki Students' Organisation, Jiribam and Tamenglong district, has condemned the act of the majority Meitei community who allegedly chased to stop and checked an ambulance of Kuki Khanglai Lawmpi, a philanthropic organisation, on its way back to Jiribam from Silchar at Dibong, thereby harassing the attendants with abusive words.

A condemnation statement issued on Wednesday claimed that not only did the Meitei community forcefully stopped and checked, but also spoke abusive words and verbally assaulted the President of KKL J&T without any reason.

KSO said: "Despite the initiative taken by the District authorities, SP, DC, CO 39 AR, CO CRPF 87Bn, CSOs and the local populace to maintain peace in Jiribam, the KSO J&T is shocked to learn that KKL (Kuki Khanglai Lawmpi), a philanthropic organization's ambulance carrying a patient was chased to stop and checked by the majority Meitei community civilian on its way back to Jiribam from Silchar at Dibong."

It claimed that the foreigner check post in Jiribam, maintained by the Manipur Police, had already given pass to the said ambulance.

The Kuki students' body stated that mutual respect, understanding and cooperation are to be given to those civil society organisations  who relentlessly make an effort to help the needy.

While condemning the incident in the strongest term, the KSO stated that such act of unprovoked attitude towards the Kuki-Zo communities by majority Meitei community in Jiribam could deteriorate the existing peaceful atmosphere and could escalate the misunderstanding between the two communities in Jiribam.

Stressing that Jiribam is termed as a peaceful district, the students' body appealed to all local populace and the majority community Meiteis of Jiribam, in particular, to refrain from such unprovoked act and shun all kinds of actions that could hamper the progress of peace and co-existence.

Further, the KSO also made an appeal to the Peace Committee of Jiribam and the security personnels to look into the matter and come up with appropriate measures to counter such activities and to prevent re-occurrence of unwarranted actions from either side of the community.

"It is the sole responsibility of the people of Jiribam to maintain peace at every step of their action irrespective of which communities they belong, to restore normalcy in the district," KSO said.

The students' body also maintained that the Kuki-Zo communities have been doing its best and extending help to the concerned authorities and Peace Committee of Jiribam to uphold peace and harmony while stating that the generosity of Kuki Zo should not be trampled and taken for granted.

The KSO expected the concerned authorities to be impartial in delivering justice and peace prevails in the region.