DIMAPUR, MARCH 20 (MExN): The GPRN/NSCN today said that it is “surprised” that the Assam Rifles PRO (Defence) on March 19 termed the MIP, GPRN/NSCN statement as “baseless allegations.”
A press release from the MIP, GPRN/NSCN stated that during cease-fire period, all entities ought to handle situations in a humane and matured way. The specific inputs, if found exaggerated and inaccurate, must be aborted, it added. “On March 15, 2023, there was not a single armed cadre in the group or anyone in military dress at the private property,” it claimed.
Further it said that there is no official communiqué from the CFMG to GPRN/NSCN or to Zutovi Village council informing that the village periphery and private farms are sensitive areas. “When Indo-Naga negotiations are ongoing and ceasefire being in place, junior AR officers on duty need not adopt and enact Russia-Ukraine conflict situation in Nagaland,” it said.
It noted that Nagas are “generally expressive and great lovers of outdoor gatherings and leisurely farm events.”
“Unarmed Naga national workers, civil or military workers, cannot be accused of violating Cease-Fire for recreational programs in their own farms during peacetime. After all the land is Nagaland,” the GPRN/NSCN stated.
It meanwhile alleged that the “AR officer in question,” displayed “reckless mannerism and nothing like a trained disciplined army officer.” “As soon as the incident was reported, the GPRN/NSCN’s CFSB members reached the scene; the said officer ordered his men to seize all the mobile phones at gunpoint and responded menacingly to any query and clarification sought,” it claimed. Further, the GPRN/NSCN alleged that the officer “did not bother to check the special Identity Cards of GPRN/NSCN officials issued by the Government of India (GoI) through CFMG.”
It further alleged that one GPRN/NSCN CFSB official was “assaulted resulting in bleeding due to forceful gun barrel jabs on the neck.” “The guard of GPRN/NSCN Ceasefire Supervisor was brutally manhandled. The PRO (Defence) may authenticate the facts from Western Sumi GBs (WSKH) and village elders who were at hand to resolve the matter,” it added.
Further, the GPRN/NSCN advised the PRO (Defence) to “take note that the Ministry of Information and Publicity (MIP), GPRN/NSCN is a full-fledged ministry, authorized and empowered to process and publish all government statements on media platforms, print or electronic.”
“Therefore, the PRO (Defence) claiming, ‘…statement was published in certain section of the media without the comments from appropriate authority’ reflects very poor understanding of the elementary rules and structure with regard to delegation and distribution of power in any government,” it added.
