Imphal, February 25: Reacting sharply to the recent ZSU allegation of Rajaimi villagers attacking Kanem village residents, the Rajaimei people has rubbished the claim as baseless and also condemned the short-sightedness and ignorance of historical facts on the part of the ZSU, Senapati Zone.

A press statement issued today contended the Rajaimei people never attacked Kanem Village and as such the claim of ZSU of Rajaimei attacking Kanem village five times does not arise and demanded outright apology for putting Rajaimei in bad light.

The fact is that Kanem people in connivance with others (outsiders) forcibly carried out illegal logging in Rajaimei land inspite of repeated warnings not to do so, maintained the Rajamei Village Authority statement while countering that the Kanem villagers even dismantled several houses at Takui (original home of Rajaimei) in 1995.Questioning whether such conducts are included in the ZSU text of civilisation or tolerance, the statement said rather it is a threat to security and integrity of the affected village.

On the other hand due to tolerance by the Rajameis existence of Kanem village till date had been possible or else Kanem villagers would have been driven out since their first appearance on Rajaimei soil in the late 1960s, it added.

On the history perspective, it explained that origin of Rajaimei village dates back to several centuries whereas that of Kanem some few decades back.

As early as 1956 Leikot, Kuki village was declared part of Rajaimei by the SDC Sadar (Thoubal) Hills, and in 1971 Kanem declared part of Rajamei by the SCO, Mao-West, Kangpokpi, reminded the village authority asserting that through custom/tradition Kanem and Leikot villages had been paying land tax to Rajaimei till 1980s.Kanem do not have any demarcated village boundary whereas Rajaimei have clearly defined village boundaries with Oklong, Chaka, Willong, Sangkhongmei and Makuilongdi.

When Makuilongdi was established in 1981, the Zeliangrong Union and Maram Union have settled land boundaries of the adjoining villages, it recalled while iterating that land boundaries between Makuilongdi and Rajaimei is clearly demarcated.

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