DIMAPUR, JUNE 25 (MExN): The Assam Rifles has come under the glare of Mokokchung for “illegally occupying” prime land in the town. Several civil society organizations today came out in support of district deputy commissioner Abhishek Singh’s order, which tells the paramilitary force to vacate the area near his office.
The DC, when contacted today, said that since the Nagaland government had earmarked the land roughly measuring 6000 square meters for construction of a new office under a budget of Rs 6 crore, the Assam Rifles should vacate the land.
The Assam Rifles could not produce the required documents pertaining to ownership of the land when they were asked to do so, the DC added. People of the town want the paramilitary forces to be removed from civilian areas and even the Assam Rifles wishes to be concentrated in a compact area, he said.
Ao Senden President Temjenkaba was of the view that “there will be no problem for security and no financial involvement” if the AR vacates the area in concern. Giving a historical take into the issue, he said the land was first acquired by a British Sub Divisional Officer in 1889 and that the acreage was “not for Assam Rifles.”
A statement issued by the apex tribal body of the district asked the 30th Assam Rifles to vacate the “illegal occupation” of the land near the DC’s office. “This has in fact been the demand of the people of Mokokchung that military and paramilitary forces should not stay mingling with the civilian population. This area is most ideally located and in fact has been marked for the construction of the district administrative complex for many years.”
Demanding the immediate eviction of the AR from the area “to avoid any untoward confrontation between the citizens of Mokokchung and the above mentioned illegal occupants,” the Ao Senden said occupation of civil areas by armed military personnel creates “fear and tension in the psyche of the people.”
Lending voice to the demand, Ao Union Mokochung President Sosangmeren, said the said land unequivocally belongs to the people of Mokochung. Even Watsu Mungdang President Subongla, supported the DC’s order. Citing the instance of a worst case scenario, she gave the example of when in the late ‘90s an AR jawan raped a woman after getting into a drunken stupor.
The Concern Citizens’ Forum also supports the “long felt” need of the Mokokchung denizens for security forces to “to move out of civilian areas.” The issue is expected to boil over the next few days and analysts say a gradual tempo to demand relocation of security forces from all civilian areas could amplify in volume. A reaction from the Assam Rifles is awaited.
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