Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 21:
While a number of tribal organisations, particularly the Hill Tribal Council, Moreh and Kuki Students' Organisation, Chandel have been maintaining that the UNLF along with Myanmar military had abducted a number of villagers taking shelter at the refugee camp at TS Laijang and taken them to Myanmar, another story has emerged which says the villagers left the camp on their own volition and have returned to their respective villages as it is now time to tend to their fields.
This story came to light during a tour taken by a team of media persons some days back in and around Molcham village.
The media team was informed that the villagers had returned to their native villages on their own volition as the time has come to tend to their fields.
Talking to the media persons a villager said that about 300 villagers from Khenyang, Pheisinjang, Khangtung, T Nampao, C Gamnuam, N Changpol and Joldan left the refugee camp at TS Laljang on March 13 to return to their respective villages to work in their fields.
While some villagers reached their native homes the same day, others did so the following day, he added.
Last Sunday, villagers of Tuileng, Molcham, Khungkot, L Bingjoi, Monglem and Veleyang met at Molcham to check whether the villagers who had left the refugee camp were facing any shortage of food.
No food shortage was reported during the meeting, said the villager but added that it was learnt that some villagers were still staying at Moreh and Churachandpur on rent.
Some have settled at these two places after buying plots, he informed.
A feast was also organised during the meeting at Molcham.
The meeting at Molcham was organised by the Dingpi Area, Khenjoi Area and Border Area Committee.
The proceedings of the meeting have been conveyed to the Hill Tribal Council, through a member of KSO, secretary of the Border Area Development Committee and two other villagers.
The messengers are however yet to return as the HTC have kept them in confinement, said the villagers.
A villager of C Gamnuam said that out of the 11 households in the village, 8 did not leave the village.
Those who left have also returned now.
An elderly man, Thangbu Haokip of Joldan village said that no one was taken from the refugee camp to Myanmar.
The villagers have returned to their villages as the time for working in the field has come, he maintained.
Hemthang Mate, headman of N Chongpol said that they passed through Myanmar territory to return to their village from TS Laijang.
Damma Mizo, member of the village authority of Pheising said that they left TS Laijang on March 13 and reached their village the next day.
Paulu Khongsai of Kheljang said that while on their return journey, they crossed through Myanmar territory and hired a bus at Rs 8000 (Myanmar currency).
The villagers said that they abandoned their villages and fled to the camp at TS Laijang because of the heavy firing from the side of the security force.
Bombs fired by them reached even Jordam, they contended.