Dimapur, April 30 (MExN): The Assam Rifles today appealed to the different Naga underground factions to heed to the voice of the public and vacate the built up area in and around Phek district so as to maintain peace and tranquility in the region.
A press release issued by the Public Relations Officer of the IGAR (N), while making the appeal to the Naga factions to vacate the public areas, stated that on April 22 last, around sixty armed cadres entered Phek town at around 1 am and occupied areas of NST bus stand, Zericho-I and Zericho-II Colony.
“The intrusion of the (IM) cadres in Phek town is causing tremendous amount of inconvenience to the people of Phek town in their discharge of day today life” stated the release and added that the children are finding it difficult to attend their schools due to the presence of gun totting cadres.
The release stated that the repeated request made by the residents of the town to cadres to vacate the built up areas has fallen into deaf ears and that the cadres have refused to vacate, and converted the area into a virtual battleground.
Due to concentration of cadres inter factional clashes are imminent. But people are unable to take any action to evict the cadres from the town due to inherent danger to their lives as well as that of their family members, stated the release.
The release, in this regards, stated that in such perilous situation it becomes the duty of all NGOs, civil bodies, and civil administration and security forces to put pressure on the cadres to vacate the town and fall back to their designated camps so that people could lead peaceful life.
The release informed that the security forces including Assam Rifles are carrying out area domination and extensive patrolling in the town and that they have observed an increase in the strength of the underground factions. However, the release stated that there is a need to resolve the situation without escalating the situation.
In this connection, The Assam Rifles appealed to the underground factions to vacate the public areas in the interest of the public safety and tranquility, and added that bullets are no solution to any problem but only through process of dialogue and reconciliation some solution can be arrived at.
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