Imphal, October 6 (NNN):     The Maring Students’ Union (MSU) has expressed its “deep” resentment and “serious” concern upon learning that a “group identifying themselves as the so-called ‘Khoibu tribe’, who wants separation from the Maring community for reasons best known to them, are organizing a festival on October 7, 2025, at Khangshim village, a model village built and developed by the Maring community as a centre for collective growth and future development”. 

The MSU said it was regrettable that certain vested individuals, driven by personal ambition and greed for position, are misleading the people in the name of a separate tribe. “Their continuous lobbying with the Government of Manipur, the Government of India, and the GPRN for a separate recognition is a deliberate attempt to distort history, divide the Maring people, and undermine the unity and integrity of our community”, the MSU also said, adding, “Such divisive acts are not only misleading but also an insult to the sacrifices and contributions of our forefathers who have preserved the Maring identity through generations”.

The Maring Students’ Union then said that there is absolutely no gain in breaking away from one’s root and heritage. “On the contrary, such actions only sow the seeds of identity crisis and confusion among innocent youths. We take this development as a direct challenge to the tradition, culture, and identity of the Maring tribe, values which we will defend at all costs”, the MSU added.

The MSU also said that if certain individuals now claim to belong to a different tribe, they should hold their Haichingbawng celebration somewhere else which is not the ancestral land of the Maring people. It asserted that any attempt to conduct such activities within Maring ancestral territory will be regarded as a provocative and unacceptable act.

The MSU then cautioned the organizers of the October 7 event to refrain from any actions that could disturb peace and harmony in the area. “Should any untoward incident arise as a consequence of their deliberate disregard for this public notice, the entire responsibility will rest solely upon the organizers”, it warned.

The Maring Students’ Union (MSU) then said it “stands united and resolute in protecting the land, culture, and identity of the Maring people against any divisive or misleading attempts”.