Hours after the All Assam Manipuri Students’ Union (AAMSU) allegedly asked Mizos living in Assam’s Barak Valley to vacate at the earliest; the body issued a clarification saying that its advisory had been “misinterpreted”.
Assam director general of police (DGP) Gyanendra Pratap Singh took to Twitter to share the clarification issued by the students’ body in which the organization also withdrew the prior advisory.
GP Singh called for reporting on the issue to be more circumspective. He also called for collective efforts to ensure peace.
Taking to Twitter, the Assam DGP wrote, “Please be circumspect in reporting. The call has been withdrawn immediately. Let’s together strive to build peace,” while sharing the clarification notices.
Meanwhile, the clarification mentioned, “As seen in some electronic medias and fb pages the recent press statement of AAMSU is misinterpreted as quit notice to Mizos from Barak Valley. AAMSU only advises the Mizo Missionaries in Meitei village to take precautions for their own safety as the act of Mizoram government has caused anger upon Manipuris in Assam. So far the Mizo missionaries have been living within the Meiteis as families and we shall continue to stay in harmony forever.”
“In the interest of peaceful coexistence between the two communities the statement issued by AAMSU CC ref.No.: AAMSU-C/C/10/PN/07/23 dated on 24-07-23 has been withdrawn. AAMSU always stands for peace and harmony,” it further added.
It may be noted that the AAMSU central committee on Monday issued a press note to advise the Mizo people living in the Meitei areas of Assam’s Barak Valley to vacate at the earliest “for their own safety”.
This came as a direct response to the advisory of the Peace Accord MN Returnees Association (PAMRA) issued on July 21 which led to the exodus of Meiteis living in Mizoram including students, government employees and others working in the private sectors.
AAMSU said, “The unruly behaviour of Mizoram has already escalated anger among the Meiteis of Assam.” The organization stated that most of the Meiteis living in Mizoram belong from lower Assam, “therefore for their own safety we advise the Mizos living in the Meitei areas of Barak Valley to vacate the area at the earliest time possible.”
The press note from the Manipuri students’ body said that the exodus of the Meiteis which came after the warning issued by the surrendered militant outfit PAMRA is regrettable and that “Mizoram (both government and elite groups) is involved in fueling the violence from the beginning.”
AAMSU accused MZP that it issued a threatening notice to the Meiteis living in Mizoram on April 30 even before the Kuki narco terrorist declared war upon native Meiteis in Manipur on May 3, 2023. “The Meiteis in Assam would extend any possible and necessary support to our kins.”
Moreover, the All Assam Manipuri Students’ Union stated that the recovery of arms and other war like stores in Mizoram by security forces were in fact, meant for Kuki militants to create havoc in Manipur while also alleging that provocative speeches have been made against Meiteis in the name of Zo solidarity.
“At this crucial juncture of the Manipur turmoil we stand in solidarity with our Meitei kins in Manipur who are being attacked by war monger Kuki Zo tribes. The government of Mizoram should stop playing a double game by pretending to show concern for Meiteis on one hand and giving free hand to anti-Manipur activities in Mizoram by allowing to target the helpless Meiteis on the other hand,” added AAMSU.
Meanwhile, it should be mentioned that PAMRA clarified later that the press release issued by them was an “advisory requesting Meiteis living in Mizoram to exercise caution in light of the public sentiments regarding the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur and was not a diktat or a quit notice to Meiteis.”
