Naga MLAs ask Governor to intervene in Siroy stand off

IMPHAL, Jan 31: The Naga MLAs of the state Dr. Khashim Ruivah, W Morung Makunga and M Thohrii have submitted a memorandum to the state Governor Gurbachan Jagat on the matter of the stand off between the Assam Rifles and the NSCN(IM) at Siroy village in Ukhrul district of Manipur.

In their representation the MLAs have reiterated that the Indo-Naga peace process should continue and both sides should ensure that the peace process is not disturbed.

Stating their firm opinion that the confrontation between both the sides should be avoided for the sake of peace, the memorandum urged both sides to disengage themselves immediately and in the interest of peace maintain the status quo while also asking the Governor to intervene and restore peace in the state.

They further said that the Indo-Naga peace talks should not be disturbed and the present stand off between the NSCN(IM) and the Assam Rifles should be solved amicably.

Peace in the district should be maintained at all costs, women respected and human rights protected, the memorandum said while calling on the Government of India and the Naga group to maintain the ceasefire in letter and spirit for the protection of the property of the local people.

Meanwhile, the Janata Dal(S), Manipur has said that it is greatly shocked to learn that Outer Manipur MP Mani Cheranamei pretends not to understand that the ceasefire agreement between the government of India and the NSCN(IM) does not extend to Manipur or Assam or Arunachal Pradesh or beyond Nagaland.

Even though people may not have been aware of this fact earlier, surely after the June 2001 incident in Manipur everyone knew that the ceasefire did not extend beyond Nagaland, as specifically notified by the government of India too, it said.

Stating that Cheranamei`s reference to the ceasefire of 1964 till 1972 with the then NNC (Naga National Council) and the government of India as quite irrelevant and out of context, it said in a statement that the clarification by the 17th Assam Rifles that the militants of NSCN(IM) were not supposed to set up camps outside Nagaland was quite true.

The ANSAM has also in an appeal to the concerned authorities asked for immediate intervention in order to amicably resolve the war like situation at Shiroy village.

NPMHR questions use of ‘electrified wires’

Mokokchung :As the tension from the standoff between the Assam Rifles and NSCN (IM) in Shiroi village in Manipur entered the seventh day, the Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights has taken strong exception to the alleged erection of electrified barbed wires. The AR is alleged to have erected electrified wires around the camp where the Naga underground activists are holed up.

“This act of the AR is a real violation of universal human rights, reminiscent of concentration camps in World War II. Even in war, soldiers do not use such inhuman methods against the enemy,” said NPMHR secretary general Dr. N Venuh on the sidelines of a meeting of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation with the apex tribal bodies of the Ao tribe in Mokokchung town, Saturday.

Venuh said the act of the Assam Rifles was equivalent to using landmines while reminding that both India and the NSCN (I-M) were signatories of the anti-landmine treaty. “During the ceasefire, the security forces should not resort to such provocative and humiliating acts. Both sides should come to an understanding instead of adopting tough stance,” he said. When queried about the contention of the Assam Rifles that the ceasefire ambit was confined to Nagaland only, the NPMHR secretary general asserted that “the ceasefire covers the whole world and cannot be confined to some Naga areas only”.