Family members of arrested human rights activists Mark Thangmang Haokip district on Friday refuted the claims allegedly made by Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh who stated that Mark Thangmang Haokip is a Myanmarese national.
Mark Haokip’s family includes his father M Limkhosei Haokip 76, elder brother Paokhothang Haokip and mother Veikhochin Haokip of Molnom village in Churachandpur district.
Talking to a select media team on Friday, Mark Haokip’s elder brother Paokhothang Haokip stated that he had come across the video clips of the claims made by the chief minister and wondered how Mark has been called as a Myanmarese/foreigner. He said that their ancestors had been living in Manipur since time immemorial and their great grandfathers and father have all been in the state throughout.
Concerning N Biren’s remarks on Facebook, Paokhothang said that after his brother Mark was appointed as president of IHRA Manipur Chapter, a military coup took place in Myanmar.
Mark was made in-charge of Myanmar to oversee the rampant human rights violation there and this was his only connection with Myanmar, he said.
The chief minister does not know properly about the issue in the same way as he does not know about Mark’s family history, origin and place of settlement, he said.
They had been a native of Tollen Haikot Village, Machi sub division of Tengnoupal district, even before the coming of the British in India, after which they migrated to Churachandpur district in 1993, he said.
He also claimed that as per a book written by WC Dune, an ICS officer and the Gazette of Manipur 1812, their great grandfather had also been hailed as one of the most efficient administrators.
Since Mark has his own family with a wife and four small kids and a breadwinner, he further appealed to the authorities concerned to release him on humanitarian grounds. If he had done anything wrong, he would have a chance to mend his ways while looking after his family, he said.
The aged father of Mark Haokip said that he has not been informed about the condition of his son so far. He further said that the accusations made by the chief minister were baseless as his father, the late Douzapau Haokip was a member of INA. If he himself was an Indian his son cannot be Myanmarese, he added.
