Re-posting of Armstrong Pame as Tamenglong DC opposed; rally held, railway works halted

IMPHAL: Strongly opposing the re-appointment of Armstrong Pame as the DC of Tamenglong district and demanding justice for Makhuam village and issuance of persecution sanction under 197, villagers of Makhuam/Marangching village and Thoubei village staged a mass protest rally on Saturday.

The protest rally was carried out along the railway construction stretch from tunnel no. 26A to tunnel no. 26 in Makhuam village on Saturday and was organised by Makhuam village authority and Thoubei village.

The irate protestors burnt flex poster of Armstrong Pame in front of railway tunnel No. 26 while slogans “Condemned re-posting of corrupt DC” were changed. The protestors have also banned NF Railway construction works from September 7 to 9, 2019.

Speaking to media persons on the sideline of the protest, Chairman Makhuam village authority, Lanranglung Gondaimei said that the mass rally is mainly organised as the large villagers strongly condemned the re-posting of corrupt DC Armstrong Pame who has amended a sum of Rs. 36 crore illegally and urged the government to take appropriate action against him.

Chairman of Marangching Thoubei village Lankhuilung Kammeiei said that on June 17, 2017, Armstrong Pame called up three village representatives and had a talk in his camber while he was the DC of Tamenglong and assured them the land compensations will be awarded to those villagers the court has given verdict and made the three of them sign an understanding paper.

However, the compensations were given to two persons namely Kh. Lovejoy and Thuankhulung who are not even mention in the court verdict.

Condemning the illegal exercise by Armstrong Pame, the irate villagers had carried out numbers of blockade, bandhs, strikes and agitation including closure of railway construction works, he added.

Lankhuilung Kammeiei said that villagers of Makhuam Marangching strongly condemns and will not except re-posting of Armstrong Pame as DC Tamenglong who was transfer after the villagers carried out numbers of agitations and warned of intense agitation if the government and authority concern fails to take up befitting action against Armstong Pame, at the earliest.

Further, the Makhuam Marangching Village in a press release stated that the village has submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister of Manipur on August 31, 2019, vide R.R No. 1084, against the re-posting of Armstrong Pame as DC of Tamenglong, Manipur.

Source: TMB