Shillong, June 26: The All India Malayalee Association (AIMA), Meghalaya and city based Thma U Rangli Juki (TUR) have condemned the incident of assault of Kerala students in the city by a group of bikers.
Police are yet to make any arrest in conection with the crime.
In separate statements, both the organisations on Sunday expressed concern over the attack on interns of Impluse NGO Network from the Central University, Kannur, Kerala at Jaiaw.
The students returned home on Sunday.
The AIMA, one of the 27 units across the country, held an emergency neeting of its executive committee in view of the fast spreading rumours of the incident.
The secretary of the organisation, Aquarius Mathew said the committee expressed concern at the incident and condemned the act but hoped that the assurances of the Home Minister and the DGP will be fulfilled and the law will take its course.
The committee also wanted the students in the southern states to know that it was only an isolated incident and that the committee has taken necessary steps for the safe return of the interns and prevent the spread of the rumours after the report had gone viral on social media.
TUR leader Angela Rangad, while condemning the incident, appreciated the local citizens who opposed the attack and defended the young students who had conveyed that most of the citizens of Shillong and Meghalaya do not condone such criminal and communal acts.
“But we know that such targeted attacks on non-local workers, medical representatives, vendors, construction workers, delivery people and others have also happened in the recent past that has created a feeling of insecurity amongst the citizens of Shillong,” Rangad said.
TUR wanted the police to investigate the incident and prosecute the criminals who are violating people’s human rights and are bringing bad reputation to the state.
“TUR expresses its solidarity once again to our friends from Kerala and demands that Meghalaya police and administration does a quick investigation and arrest the perpetrators of this cowardly act and allow the law to take its own course,” she said.
Acknowledging the anxieties that small tribes face about losing their culture, identity and livelihood, she said the anxiety cannot be removed by such criminality,
She said protection offered by the Indian Constitution for indigenous community is not in any way opposed to the rights of peace and security that non-indigenous people and workers are supposed to enjoy in Meghalaya.
According to Rangad, it is worrying that laws that protect the life, land and livelihood of the indigenous people are being weakened by indigenous elites for their self-aggrandising capitalist greed.
She wanted the Dorbar Shnong where such incidents have happened, to actively seek justice for the victims and work towards creating an inclusive culture of peace.
